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Message From Thack
Thursday, October 8, 2026
Dear Friends,
As Hurricane Isaias strengthens in the Gulf and moves toward our coast, I want you to know that you are in my prayers. Isaias is expected to make landfall tomorrow night as a Category 2 hurricane, and the Alabama Gulf Coast, including Mobile Bay, is under a Hurricane Warning. I know many of you are anxious. Some of you still have vivid memories of Hurricane Sally in September 2020. That said, please hear this first: you are not alone. God is with us, and we are with one another.
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved, and though the mountains be toppled into the depths of the sea; though its waters rage and foam.” (Psalm 46:1–3)
Faith and good sense go hand in hand. Trusting God does not mean ignoring the warnings. Taking care of yourselves and your neighbors is itself an act of faithfulness. So today, while conditions are still calm, please finish your preparations.
The Latest from the National Hurricane Center
As of the 7:00 a.m. CDT intermediate advisory (No. 7A) this morning, Thursday, October 8:
· Location: About 23.7°N, 90.6°W, in the south-central Gulf
· Maximum sustained winds: 80 mph, with additional strengthening expected through early Friday
· Movement: East-northeast at 9 mph, turning northeast later today and north on Friday
· Minimum central pressure: 975 mb
The Hurricane Center's 4:00 a.m. advisory (No. 7) says:
· Warnings: A Hurricane Warning is in effect from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, to the Bay/Gulf County line in Florida, which includes all of coastal Alabama. A Storm Surge Warning is in effect from the mouth of the Mississippi River to the Steinhatchee River, Florida.
· Landfall: Isaias is expected to come ashore along the northern Gulf Coast late Friday or early Saturday as a strong hurricane. Tropical-storm conditions will begin Friday, and hurricane conditions are expected Friday night into early Saturday.
· Storm surge: 5 to 7 feet above ground is possible in Mobile Bay if the peak surge arrives at high tide. The surge will be deepest near and east of where the storm comes ashore.
· Rain: 3 to 7 inches, with up to 10 inches in places, from Friday through the weekend. Flash flooding is possible, and our ground is already saturated from last week's rains.
· Tornadoes: Isolated tornadoes are possible Friday night in coastal Alabama.
The Hurricane Center's message is plain: preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion today.
What Baldwin County Emergency Management Asks of Us
· Evacuation: A voluntary evacuation is in effect for coastal, low-lying, and flood-prone areas. If you live in one of these areas, or you are unsure whether your home is safe from rising water, please consider leaving today. As one county official put it, “You run from water and you hide from wind.” If officials order you to leave, please go.
· Shelters: The Baldwin County Coliseum, 19477 Fairground Road, Robertsdale, opens today at 3:00 p.m. A pet-friendly shelter is at the same location. Bring bedding, medications, personal supplies, and identification.
· Transportation: If you need a ride to a shelter, call BRATS at 251-972-6817 as early as possible. Service will stop once conditions become unsafe.
· Supplies: Have water, nonperishable food, medications, first-aid supplies, flashlights, batteries, charged phones, some cash, and pet supplies on hand. Keep your important papers and insurance documents in a waterproof place.
· Your home: Bring in or tie down outdoor furniture, trash cans, and anything else the wind could pick up. Secure boats. Do not put debris in ditches or drains.
· Sand: Free sand is available at the Baldwin County Central Annex, 22251 Palmer Street, Robertsdale. Bring your own bags and shovel.
· After the storm: Run generators outdoors only, away from doors and windows, because carbon monoxide can kill. Use flashlights, not candles. Never drive through flooded roads: “Turn Around, Don't Drown.”
· Staying informed: Sign up for alerts at AlertBaldwin.com. Follow the National Hurricane Center (nhc.noaa.gov), the National Weather Service in Mobile, and Baldwin County EMA rather than rumors on social media. The county EMA call center is 251-972-6807. For emergencies, call 911.
Please Let the Church Office Know
If you plan to evacuate, please contact the church office at (251) 626-2421 and tell us where you are going and how we can reach you. Knowing where you are will help us check on you, pray for you by name, and help in any way we can once the storm has passed.
Please also look in on your neighbors, especially those who live alone, are elderly, or have no transportation. A phone call today may be the greatest kindness you can offer.
When the skies clear, we will gather again, check on one another, and serve our community as the Church has always done. WE WILL GATHER FOR WORSHIP ON SUNDAY MORNING AT 8:00 AND 10:30 A.M. Until then, keep the faith, stay safe, and hold one another in prayer.
A Prayer for Protection
O God, our refuge and strength, whose Son stilled the wind and calmed the sea with a word: Look with mercy on all who are in the path of this storm. Watch over our homes, our families, and our neighbors. Guard us from danger, and give us calm hearts and wise judgment as we prepare. Protect those who travel to safer places, and keep safe all who shelter in place. Strengthen and shield the first responders, emergency workers, utility crews, medical workers, and all who put themselves at risk for the sake of others. Comfort the frightened, sustain the weak, and let no one face tomorrow night alone. When the winds have passed, make us quick to help one another and generous in rebuilding what is broken. Keep us always mindful that nothing in all creation can separate us from your love; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Lord bless you and keep you.
Faithfully,
Thack ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |