Category : Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, etc.

In Sumter County, S. Carolina, 1 family starts the rebuilding process

[Tiffany Wilson]..and her family had to be rescued from their home near Swan Lake Sunday. Her woke up to her dog wimpering in the back yard, where she say he was under water.

“I panicked because I have a six week old baby, and I have an eight-year-old son. Plus, I have a disabled Dad. So, my thought was to get everybody out.”

Walking back into her new reality, Wilson says it was tough to see.

“I cried,” stated Wilson.

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Posted in * Culture-Watch, * General Interest, * South Carolina, Children, Marriage & Family, Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, etc., Weather

Reminder–Please Pray for the South Carolina recovery Process

Posted in * Christian Life / Church Life, * Economics, Politics, * General Interest, * South Carolina, City Government, Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, etc., Politics in General, Spirituality/Prayer, State Government, Weather

HEARTWARMING–Widow of fallen Columbia SC area police officer volunteers at Food Shelter

At the Harvest Hope Food Bank, each volunteer has a reason to serve, including Kassy Alia. Tuesday afternoon, Alia was dubbed the “Fun Food Lady” as she sorted cart-loads of cakes, pies, and pizzas.

“Something that’s brought me a lot of peace over the past few days is I know I told my husband everyday how much I loved him, and he did the same for me. I’m confident, and I know that he would be so proud of me,” she said.

Kassy’s late husband, Forest Acres police officer Greg Alia, was shot and killed in the line of duty last week while responding to a suspicious vehicle call at Richland Mall. He was a new father, just 32 years old, and a star at the small department. Alia was laid to rest on Saturday as the rain rolled in.

Read it all and watch the whole video.

Posted in * Christian Life / Church Life, * Culture-Watch, * General Interest, * South Carolina, Charities/Non-Profit Organizations, Children, Death / Burial / Funerals, Dieting/Food/Nutrition, Law & Legal Issues, Marriage & Family, Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, etc., Parish Ministry, Police/Fire, Weather

(AP) Round Two–Downstream South Carolina towns brace for flooding

Along South Carolina’s coast, residents were preparing for a second round of flooding as rivers swollen from days of devastating rains make their way toward the Atlantic.

Residents near a dam in Richland County were told to evacuate Wednesday morning, with authorities saying the dam could breach at any time.

Crews worked overnight to try to stabilize the Beaver Dam after a sinkhole formed nearby, pumping water out of of the pond to relieve pressure on the dam.

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Posted in * General Interest, * South Carolina, Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, etc., Weather

(CNN) South Carolina flooding: 18 dams breached

At least 18 dams have breached or failed in South Carolina since Saturday, the state’s emergency management agency said early Tuesday.

One failure, of the Overcreek dam in Forest Acres, sent a torrent of floodwater raging downstream and forced a mandatory evacuations near Columbia.

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Posted in * Economics, Politics, * General Interest, * South Carolina, City Government, Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, etc., Politics in General, State Government, Weather

(CNN) South Carolina flooding: How to help

Deadly flooding has engulfed parts of South Carolina, forcing people from their homes. South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has activated the National Guard to help with flood rescues, and charitable organizations are responding.

Impact Your World has gathered ways for people to help in these efforts.

Ӣ The Salvation Army is assisting communities along the East Coast by providing food, water and shelter to flood victims.

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Posted in * Culture-Watch, * General Interest, * South Carolina, Charities/Non-Profit Organizations, Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, etc., Weather

Lowcountry South Carolina Flood victims take stock after devastating rains

David Glover was watching Clemson beat Notre Dame when the dam broke.

Not even 150 sandbags, piled high against the back wall of his house, could keep hours of relentless rainfall from spilling inside. The tide rose. Church Creek flooded. In a mad panic, Glover and his son started carrying everything they could to the kitchen on the second floor, including his favorite game day recliner.

By Sunday afternoon, there was no distinguishing where his yard ended and the creek began. A few sand bags floated above what was once his driveway. Glover crossed his arms as he surveyed the damage from the side of the road.

“I’ve been here 18 years. We’ve never had water like this,” he said. “Thank God I’ve got insurance.”

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Posted in * General Interest, * South Carolina, Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, etc., Weather

(CNN) In South Carolina, 'it's a historic flood,' emergency official says

As teams from multiple agencies try to save people from their cars on flooded streets across South Carolina, officials are struggling just to keep count, the state’s emergency management spokesman told CNN on Sunday.

“It’s a historic flood the likes of which we haven’t seen,” Eric Rousey said. Most of the rescue operations are being staged in Dorchester and Charleston, where at least 30,000 people are without power. Emergency officials said there were about 140 water rescues in Dorchester overnight.

In Charleston, people paddled kayaks and canoes down city thoroughfares, as more than 6 inches of rain fell in downtown on Saturday, according to the National Weather Service Twitter account.

On Saturday, about 11½ inches of rain had fallen in the city, the weather service said. That’s an inch more than the all-time daily highest amount of rain in the area, recorded in September 1998.

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Posted in * General Interest, * South Carolina, Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, etc., Weather

(The Press) Anglican Church announces new deal for Christ Church Cathedral

An independent Government-appointed consultant will be brought in to negotiate plans for the earthquake-damaged Christ Church Cathedral after four years of deadlock.

Plans for the future of Christchurch’s iconic cathedral stalled in 2011 after Anglican leaders came out in support of plans to partially demolish the building.

They had faced ongoing opposition from heritage campaigners, particularly the Great Christchurch Building Trust (GCBT), which wanted the old cathedral to be fully restored.

Bishop Victoria Matthews made the announcement to a full house at the Christ Church Transitional Cathedral on Hereford St on Thursday evening.

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Posted in * Anglican - Episcopal, * Christian Life / Church Life, * Culture-Watch, * General Interest, Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, Anglican Provinces, Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, etc., Parish Ministry, Urban/City Life and Issues

(The Press) Anglican Diocese of Christchurch cleared over cathedral funding breach

Christchurch’s Anglican Diocese has avoided censure for incorrectly using funds from an insurance payout to help pay for the transitional cathedral.

A High Court judgment released on Wednesday said it was sufficient for the Church Property Trustees (CPT), which holds property on various trusts for the diocese, to repay the $4 million it used from the quake-damaged Christ Church Cathedral insurance payout to construct the new building near Latimer Square.

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Posted in * Anglican - Episcopal, * Christian Life / Church Life, * Culture-Watch, * General Interest, Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, Anglican Provinces, Law & Legal Issues, Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, etc., Parish Ministry, Religion & Culture, Stewardship, Theology, Urban/City Life and Issues

(LA Times) Another big earthquake strikes an already weakened Nepal

A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck Nepal on Tuesday, the largest since last month’s massive 7.8 tremor, sending residents scurrying into the streets and causing rocks and bricks to fall from damaged buildings.

Nepal’s Home Ministry has raised the death toll from the latest quake to at least 36 and said another 1,117 people had been injured.

Thirty of the country’s 75 administrative districts had been affected, state-run Radio Nepal said.

At least four were killed Tuesday in Chautara, the seat of Sindhupalchowk district, said Paul Dillon, a spokesman for the International Organization for Migration, citing reports from colleagues there. The town of about 6,000 people, which is built on a rugged ridge line, had seen roughly 90% of its buildings damaged or destroyed in last month’s quake.

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Posted in * General Interest, * International News & Commentary, Asia, Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, etc., Nepal

(SA) Nepali Christians die in their churches

It’s been revealed hundreds of Christians died or were injured as the Nepal earthquake hit their churches, including an Anglican minister and 17 of his parishioners.

In Nepal, Sunday is a work day so Christians normally attend church on their day off, which is Saturday. So many were in church when the quake hit on 25th of April.

Rev Lewis Lew, the Dean of Nepal which is under the oversight of the Diocese of Singapore, has issued a confirmation of a tragic scene in the village of Choke.

The village was recently visited by a mission team from Singapore.

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Posted in * Christian Life / Church Life, * General Interest, * International News & Commentary, Asia, Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, etc., Nepal, Parish Ministry

(SKY News) Major Aftershock Amid Hunt For Nepal Survivors

A 6.7 magnitude aftershock has struck Nepal as rescue teams battle to reach people trapped by the earthquake which has killed more than 2,200 people.

The aftershock, felt as far away as New Delhi, sent frightened residents in the devastated Kathmandu Valley running for open ground once again.

Rescue teams were forced to briefly pause their frantic search for survivors,with many still feared to be buried under the rubble of flattened houses and temples across the country.

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Posted in * General Interest, * International News & Commentary, Asia, Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, etc., Nepal

Local paper–Remembering Hugo–A Storm that big today would be 'total devastation'

It’s been 25 years since Hugo tore into the Lowcountry, its eye passing just north of Charleston Harbor and leaving an indelible scar on the lives of the people who lived it.

If a storm that powerful made landfall today just south of Hugo’s path, at Kiawah Island, the buzz saw of its worst, north-side winds would shear nearly all of the Charleston metro area and the storm surge would submerge the barrier islands.

According to an experimental Hazus computer model run by a College of Charleston team, a landfall just south of the city from a Hugo-scale hurricane could tear up nearly half the homes in the region and destroy tens of thousands of them. Tens of thousands of people would be homeless, at least temporarily, and thousands forced to shelters. Businesses and jobs could come to a standstill, and the loss to the economy alone could be far more than $2 billion.

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Posted in * Culture-Watch, * General Interest, * South Carolina, History, Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, etc.

25 Years Ago Tomorrow–Remembering Hurricane Hugo

When Hurricane Hugo struck on Sept. 21, 1989, sleepy little Summerville was still adjusting to a growth spurt that would see the town grow from a village of 6,492 people in 1980 to a town of 22,519 in 1990.

It had been years since the Lowcountry had seen a serious hurricane, and many who lived through Hugo now admit they just didn’t prepare the way they should have.

“Personally, I didn’t take it seriously,” said Margaret Goodwine.

By the time she realized the gravity of the situation, “it was really too late to do anything,” she said.

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Posted in * Culture-Watch, * General Interest, * South Carolina, History, Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, etc.

(BBC) a new USGS survey sees a Higher earthquake risk for the eastern US

A new US geological survey indicates that some parts of the US are at an increased risk of earthquakes, especially along the east coast.

New seismic hazard maps updated for the first time since 2008 show highest risk west but also increased risk east.

“The eastern US has the potential for larger and more damaging earthquakes than considered in previous maps and assessments,” the report states.

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Posted in * Culture-Watch, * General Interest, * International News & Commentary, America/U.S.A., Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, etc., Science & Technology

Tropical Storm Arthur: Lowcountry South Carolina can expect rain squalls, wind

Just a wobble away – that’s how close Tropical Storm Arthur will come Thursday to the Lowcountry.

Forecasters said the eye of the storm will pass 100 miles out to sea or closer. On Wednesday, the storm’s winds extended 90 miles from the eye.

The National Weather Service’s forecast Thursday night called for strong winds and rain squalls for Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties – harsher nearer the coast – but not tropical storm conditions.

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Posted in * General Interest, * South Carolina, Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, etc., Weather

(Radio NZ) Facelift for Auckland's Holy Trinity Cathedral

Auckland’s best-known Anglican Church is shutting its doors for three months after Sunday morning’s service so it can undergo a facelift.

The Holy Trinity Cathedral in Parnell has hosted the funerals of Sir Edmund Hillary, Sir Paul Homes and Sir Paul Reeves.

More than 100,000 people attend the church each year.

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Posted in * Anglican - Episcopal, * Christian Life / Church Life, * General Interest, * International News & Commentary, Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, Anglican Provinces, Australia / NZ, Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, etc., Parish Ministry

(Stuff) Battle to save Christchurch Cathedral far from over

A group of Anglicans in a small Canterbury community are vowing to take the battle for Christ Church Cathedral to the court of public opinion after a judge lifted a stay on a planned demolition of the 110-year-old building.

Justice Graham Panckhurst released findings on Friday lifting the stay on demolition of the cathedral.

However a small group of Anglicans say the fight is not over.

Akaroa resident Mike Norris organised a group of parishioners to meet and discuss what the decision meant for their battle to restore the cathedral.

“This is the beginning of the next stage of the campaign,” he said. “We have gone through the courts, which has not advanced our cause, now it is time to go through the court of public opinion.”

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Posted in * Anglican - Episcopal, * Christian Life / Church Life, * Culture-Watch, * General Interest, Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, Anglican Provinces, History, Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, etc., Parish Ministry, Urban/City Life and Issues

Christchurch Cathedral demolition not imminent per Anglican Church

The High Court has permitted the deconstruction of the earthquake-damaged Christchurch Cathedral, but the Anglican Church says it won’t happen any time soon.

Justice Graham Panckhurst yesterday lifted a stay against the Anglican Church taking the iconic stone building down before it had committed to building a new cathedral.

It wants to reduce it to a height of two to three metres and build another cathedral in Cathedral Square, but that was fought by the Great Christchurch Buildings Trust.

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Posted in * Anglican - Episcopal, * Christian Life / Church Life, * General Interest, Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, Anglican Provinces, Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, etc., Parish Ministry

(NPR) Tsunami's Ghosts Haunt Japanese Earthquake Survivors

…the earthquake also had quieter consequences that didn’t make headlines. In the London Review of Books, Richard Lloyd Parry investigates a peculiar phenomenon revealed in the aftermath of the storm. His piece is called “Ghosts of the Tsunami.”

RICHARD LLOYD PARRY: People reported neighbors – neighbors who died in the tsunami – appearing at their houses and coming and sitting down in puddles of water.

MARTIN: Parry has lived in Japan for 18 years and has known it to be a mostly secular culture. In global polls, Japan ranks as one of the least religious countries in the world.

PARRY: But there’s a bit more to it than that. I mean I’d got used to seeing, in the homes of friends, these little altars you find to the family ancestors. And I’d always assumed they were nothing much more than a quaint piece of interior decoration. But I realized in following this story and returning to the tsunami zone, that actually the religion of the ancestors is alive and well and very strong.

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Posted in * Christian Life / Church Life, * Culture-Watch, * General Interest, * International News & Commentary, Asia, Children, Death / Burial / Funerals, Japan, Marriage & Family, Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, etc., Parish Ministry

A British philanthropist pledges $4 million to help NZ's Christchurch Cathedral

Hamish Ogston pledged the money to the Anglican Church shortly after the February 2011 quake and, after seeing nothing had been done with the building, has reiterated his offer.

Mr Ogston says there is only a $15 million shortfall after his pledge, other offers and insurance money.

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Posted in * Anglican - Episcopal, * Christian Life / Church Life, * Culture-Watch, * Economics, Politics, * General Interest, Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, Anglican Provinces, Economy, Housing/Real Estate Market, Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, etc., Parish Ministry, Stewardship, Urban/City Life and Issues

(ACNS) Anglican Church in Burundi provides aid to flood disaster victims

The Anglican Church in Burundi has joined the government and other aid agencies in the country in providing aid to victims of the flood disaster that hit the country’s capital Bujumbura about two weeks ago.

A member of the church’s communications team Nasasagare Guy, told ACNS in an interview today: “The church here is still dealing with emergency situation. We’re responding to the needs of the victims by providing food and clothing donated by Christians in our church.”

On the night of February 9, Bujumbura experienced what the locals felt were some of the “heaviest thunderstorms and rainfall in contemporary history.” Over 150 people were reported dead and hundreds were injured after the torrential rains washed whole hillsides away.

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Posted in * Anglican - Episcopal, * Culture-Watch, * General Interest, * International News & Commentary, Africa, Anglican Church of Burundi, Anglican Provinces, Burundi, Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, etc., Pastoral Theology, Theology

(W. Post) Small earthquake in South Carolina felt about 150 miles away

A small earthquake shook both states [Of South Carolina and Georgia] late Friday, shaking homes and rattling residents in three states.

The quake happened at 10:23 p.m. and had a preliminary magnitude of 4.1, according to the U.S. Geological Survey’s Web site. It was centered seven miles west of the town of Edgefield, S.C., and was felt as far west as Atlanta and as far north as Hickory, N.C., each about 150 miles away.

“It’s a large quake for that area,” said USGS geophysicist Dale Grant. “It was felt all over the place.”

Just another lowkey week here–NOT. Read it all–KSH

Posted in * General Interest, * South Carolina, Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, etc.

PBS ' Religion and Ethics Newsweekly–Typhoon Faith

Months after super typhoon Hayaan destroyed large parts of the Philippines, many survivors say prayer got them through the storm and the difficult times afterwards. “The comment that I have heard is that God can send the cyclone here because the Filipino people are so strong that we can overcome even a storm this strong,” says Catholic Relief Services emergency coordinator Elizabeth Tromans.

Read or watch and listen to it all.

Posted in * Culture-Watch, * General Interest, * International News & Commentary, Asia, Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, etc., Philippines, Religion & Culture

(Anglican Taonga) Legal Ruling Means the Diocese of Christchurch is free to demolish the Cathedral

The Supreme Court has rejected a final bid to preserve the quake-damaged ChristChurch Cathedral.
This means the Diocese of Christchurch is free to demolish the Cathedral and to move ahead with plans for a replacement.
The Great Christchurch Buildings Trust (GCBT) earlier contested a Court of Appeal decision that demolition of the landmark could go ahead.
The Court of Appeal had upheld a High Court decision clearing the way for demolition to continue after the lawfulness of a decision to bring it down to a safe level was challenged by the GCBT.

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Posted in * Anglican - Episcopal, * Christian Life / Church Life, * Culture-Watch, * General Interest, * International News & Commentary, Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, Anglican Provinces, Australia / NZ, Law & Legal Issues, Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, etc., Parish Ministry, Stewardship, Urban/City Life and Issues

Washington National Cathedral to charge visitors

Facing a $26 million earthquake repair bill and years of persistent deficits, the iconic Washington National Cathedral will start charging visitors in 2014, an abrupt change that cathedral officials had long resisted.

Adults will be charged $10, and seniors, students, children, veterans and members of the military will be charged $6, according to cathedral officials. Regular worship services and Sundays will remain free of charge; the ticket plan is scheduled for a six-month trial run starting in January.

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Posted in * Anglican - Episcopal, * Christian Life / Church Life, * Culture-Watch, * General Interest, Episcopal Church (TEC), Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, etc., Parish Ministry, Religion & Culture, Stewardship, TEC Parishes

(Reuters) Praying in ruined churches, Filipinos face up to massive rebuilding

Survivors of Typhoon Haiyan flocked to ruined churches on Sunday, kneeling in prayer under torn roofs as the Philippines faced an enormous rebuilding task from the storm that killed at least 3,681 people and displaced 4 million.

At Santo Niño Church, near the waterfront in the flattened city of Tacloban, birds flitted between the rafters overhead as women moved through the pews with collection plates. At the end of mass, the Roman Catholic congregation broke into applause.

Rosario Capidos, 55, sat crying in one row, hugging her nine-year-old grandson, Cyrich.

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Posted in * Christian Life / Church Life, * Culture-Watch, * General Interest, * International News & Commentary, * Religion News & Commentary, Asia, Liturgy, Music, Worship, Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, etc., Other Churches, Parish Ministry, Philippines, Religion & Culture, Roman Catholic, Spirituality/Prayer

Anglican agencies, Churches rally to help Typhoon Haiyan victims

The mission agency Us is the latest in a series of Anglican agencies raising funds to help people affected by Typhoon Haiyan.

In a statement issued today, the UK-based agency appealed for donations to help them provide food, water, sleeping bags and blankets, plastic sheeting and materials for housing.

“Donations will also fund a long-term rehabilitation programme that will include helping farmers to start growing crops again.

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Posted in * Anglican - Episcopal, * General Interest, * International News & Commentary, Asia, Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, etc., Philippines

Archbishop Justin Welby sends prayers for the Typhoon Haiyan survivors

The Archbishop of Canterbury has sent a message of prayer and solidarity to all those affected by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.

‘We are deeply shocked and saddened to hear of the loss of thousands of lives and of the suffering of millions’ caused by the storm, Archbishop Justin Welby said today.

‘Our prayers are with all those who are traumatised by the disaster and in desperate need of food, water, shelter and medical attention.’

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Posted in * Anglican - Episcopal, * Christian Life / Church Life, * General Interest, * International News & Commentary, --Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, Asia, Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, etc., Philippines, Spirituality/Prayer