Pray for our friends in Minneapolis

[Zerbie]

I assume by now everyone has heard about the major bridge collapse in Minneapolis. Prayers for safety, health, and healing for our friends in Minneapolis.

[u-dog]

Originally Posted by Zerbie

I assume by now everyone has heard about the major bridge collapse in Minneapolis. Prayers for safety, health, and healing for our friends in Minneapolis.

YES!! and BRUCECHRIS and other Minnesotans please check in and let us know you are well !!

[Gennee]

I sure will pray for those in Minnesota. I happen to know someone from the state.

Gennee

[Daniel]

Could not keep me eyes off the news last night. And the horrifying thought running through my mind is that this fair country of ours has a failing infrastucture. The bridge was not old and had some concerns ie being structurally deficient. How many more are out there?

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/200.../index.html?hp

It's a metaphor for not tending to matters at home.

[Jamie McDaniel]

Soulforce has many friends in that area. The young people with Soulforce Q (Haven, Katie, Jarrett, Alexey) have checked in and are ok.

[Zerbie]

Brucechris replied to my PM - he lives right by the bridge in question, but he is perfectly well and safe.

[Steven E. Webster]

Friends,

I grew up in that area. I'm sure I've crossed that bridge several times. It was very good and considerate to check in on our Soulforce friends--thanks for the updates/checkins in this thread!

We do take care of one another! I still have a great big plant right here in my office that Soulforce sent me when I had a heart attack three years ago this coming Monday. I have a green thumb, that plant is doing well and so am I!!!

Thank you, Soulforce!

Steven Webster

[u-dog]

We have not yet succeeded in making contact with Polly's brother. Its unlikely that he was involved but it is also unlike him not to answer his cell while he is at work. Please keep him and us in prayer until we hear from him!

Dave and Polly

[BruceChris]

Yes, I live just a few blocks from the bridge, but I haven't been using it for weeks because the on and off ramps have been closed for repairs.

I just spent the last hour and a half circling the perimiter of the police lines, on a bicycle, poking my nose in anywhere I could. I couldn't get a good look at anything. The reason given for keeping the public out is supposedly public safety, but the real reason seems to be to make sure that no one can get a good look at the scene. Even the next bridge upstream, and the next TWO bridges downstream were blocked off, and clearly they were in NO danger.

Conspiracy theories, anyone?

Our prayers and best wishes go out to those who were involved, and their families.

P&L, Bruce Chris

[tdogg]

BruceChris, I've been thinkin' about you all morning! Glad to see you are well!

U-dog, I am praying for Polly's brother, and both of you. Please let us know as soon as you hear he is ok.

[Jamie McDaniel]

Originally Posted by Daniel

...the horrifying thought running through my mind is that this fair country of ours has a failing infrastucture.

You are right and others are raising their voices too.

Public anger will follow our sorrow

Money quote:

A trillion spent in Iraq, while schools crumble, there aren't enough cops on the street and bridges decay while our leaders cross their fingers and ignore the rising chances of disaster.

p.s. BruceChris, I am so glad to hear you are ok. Also the Reitans and Doug Hughes have said they are ok.

[u-dog]

Originally Posted by tdogg

BruceChris, I've been thinkin' about you all morning! Glad to see you are well!

U-dog, I am praying for Polly's brother, and both of you. Please let us know as soon as you hear he is ok.

Ok. He's safe. He left his phone in the truck all day. he was going to call last night but "Didn't want to wake us" he has been duly chastized!! Thanks for the prayers!

[tdogg]

Originally Posted by u-dog

Ok. He's safe. He left his phone in the truck all day. he was going to call last night but "Didn't want to wake us" he has been duly chastized!! Thanks for the prayers!

Thank you God! A bit of a scare for you...Glad he is okay! Did you tell him, next time to wake you up??!!

I agree, it's just a matter of time. We are falling apart here, while our resources dwindle fighting a war which has lost all reason.

[andrewlittle]

According to a BBC article, the estimated cost of bringing U.S. bridges up to speed would be $55 to 188 billion, depending on what level of structural integrity was considered "adequate".

By the Congress' most conservative estimates, the war has cost $455 billion so far. Other estimates place it much higher - as Jamie said, even as high as a trillion dollars.

Do we start adding the victims of our crumbling infrastructure, including those who do not have access to essential services of all kinds, to the human cost of the war? If so, I think it would become readily apparent that, just like the cost of bridge repair is a drop in the bucket compared to the war, our military losses are a drop in the bucket when compared to the total human cost of our ill conceived and poorly managed war.

Somehow I don't find any comfort in the notion that history will likely label the "War on Terror" as Bush's Folly. Why do we have to wait for history to teach what we already know?

[u-dog]

Originally Posted by andrewlittle

According to a BBC article, the estimated cost of bringing U.S. bridges up to speed would be $55 to 188 billion, depending on what level of structural integrity was considered "adequate".

By the Congress' most conservative estimates, the war has cost $455 billion so far. Other estimates place it much higher - as Jamie said, even as high as a trillion dollars.

Do we start adding the victims of our crumbling infrastructure, including those who do not have access to essential services of all kinds, to the human cost of the war? If so, I think it would become readily apparent that, just like the cost of bridge repair is a drop in the bucket compared to the war, our military losses are a drop in the bucket when compared to the total human cost of our ill conceived and poorly managed war.

Somehow I don't find any comfort in the notion that history will likely label the "War on Terror" as Bush's Folly. Why do we have to wait for history to teach what we already know?

Amen Brother!! Preach it!

[kara speltz]

Originally Posted by Steven E. Webster

Friends,

I grew up in that area. I'm sure I've crossed that bridge several times. It was very good and considerate to check in on our Soulforce friends--thanks for the updates/checkins in this thread!

We do take care of one another! I still have a great big plant right here in my office that Soulforce sent me when I had a heart attack three years ago this coming Monday. I have a green thumb, that plant is doing well and so am I!!!

Thank you, Soulforce!

Steven Webster

Wow Steve has it been 3 years? I remember so well how afraid we were that we were going to lose you. Glad to hear you and the plant are doing well. I still have one friend in Minneapolis that I haven't heard from. Some of the old timers will remember Doug Donely who was very active with Soulforce for a number of years. He's a Baptist minister and I'll bet he's busy taking care of others. I waited a couple of days before trying to call him and am hoping to hear from him soon. kara

[Jennifer5]

Only people I know in the area are the Soulforce people... really glad to hear that they're all alright!

Hope you hear from your friend soon Kara!

Prays for all of those who have lost loved ones because of this crazy - shouldn't of ever happened - horrible thing.

[Steven E. Webster]

Friends,

Yesterday and today and tomorrow I am in Nashville for the United Methodist Reconciling Congregations Convocation. I'm having a great time. It's a very diverse crowd of about 400 LGBT United Methodists and parents, friends and allies. Wonderful event! As good as some of our Soulforce events! (I did a little workshop yesterday afternoon on Soulforce.)

Anyway, I did meet a fellow from Minneapolis who is here with a theater group that is performing. He has a theater colleague back in Minneapolis who is in critical condition--she was pulled out of the river after the bridge collapse. He didn't know much more then.

Keep those prayers coming.

Steven Webster

[BruceChris]

Across the street from our church there is a restaurant called the "New York Latin Restaurant". Artemio Trinidad-Mena was a Latino immigrant who worked there.

He was one of the first of the victims of the 35W bridge collapse to be identified. A memorial to him was placed outside of the restaurant.

During the service, a special collection was taken up, to be given to his family.

After church, we had a number of meetings, and as we sat and talked, we saw individuals and groups coming to the memorial to pay their respects.

I guess that all of our various lives have connections that we often do not know about.

Peace and Love, Bruce Chris

[kara speltz]

Originally Posted by Jennifer5

Only people I know in the area are the Soulforce people... really glad to hear that they're all alright!

Hope you hear from your friend soon Kara!

Prays for all of those who have lost loved ones because of this crazy - shouldn't of ever happened - horrible thing.

Doug and his family are all fine, praise God. As I watch the newscasts, it seems like a miracle that so few were killed. Kara