Dear People of St. James’,
On May 28, 2025, a long track micro-burst storm hit parts of the Austin area. Some of you felt the effects of this storm in dramatic ways (broken windows, tree falls on houses/cars), and some hardly received any rain. At the St. James’ campus itself and in the neighborhood, there was some significant damage. I would like to give you an update.
First, you should know that the St. James’ community sprang into action to respond to this storm. We ran our shelter-in-place protocols, because we had several people on campus during the weather event. Next time you are on campus, you may want to note those interior spaces where sheltering can take place (in the sanctuary building: Sacristy, Vesting Sacristy, Bathrooms, Nursery, Sound booth; in Founders: kitchen, pantry, offices in the community health area). On the night of the storm, we quickly took care of water that had come into our main buildings.
On the day after the storm, we initiated our community check-in plan, reaching out to our St. James’ and Welcome Table networks through text, email, WhatsApp, and calls to the households we thought might be most vulnerable. I communicated to the diocesan office that there had been a high impact, though localized, weather event, and, I checked in with the senior warden of the other congregation in the area which was hardest hit. Aimee Estep, our Parish Administrator, and Jill LaCour, our Junior Warden, did an assessment of the state of our campus and put plans in place to clear debris and make repairs.
After the storm, our community outreach efforts to our neighbors through Welcome Table and to our parishioners were encouraging. Whether they had experienced a major disruption or not, it seemed that people were glad to hear from us, and many told us that they were willing to help others or were already doing so in their neighborhoods. The majority of needs were related to food spoilage because of power outages or work disruptions which put pressure on paying monthly bills. Welcome Table was able to offer additional assistance through the utilities assistance program and by providing some HEB cards. Clergy discretionary funds came into play to help with parishioner needs.
After the storm, we did some learning about how to assist people facing prolonged power outages. Your household might have a plan for this, but I find it’s a good thing to think through periodically, especially as the medical needs of a household change. Austin Energy has a nice guide. Since this storm, we have expanded our referral list to include non-emergency medical transport resources. Know that the church can be a resource for you in overwhelming situations.
In the weeks after the storm, we discovered that the power surges related to the storm caused some damage to some of our key electrical devices: freezer, copier, control access system. In addition to the water and wind damage, we did incur upwards of $10,000 in unexpected expenses. This is why we have a rainy day fund, but we do have to be careful about spending that down too far. Weather events like this tend to put pressure on clergy discretionary funds and savings, so if you feel inclined to give during what is generally a slower giving season and in this time of uncertainty, it would be gratefully received.
Big thanks to our big team who offered assistance during this time. To everyone who broke out the mops, cleared debris, and cared for their neighbors, you shared the love and grace of Jesus.
Rev. Eileen
