I’m writing this on Sunday night hoping that Tropical Storm/Hurricane Michael won’t be too much of a problem for us in Tallahassee. However, it’s possible that when this newsletter gets sent out, that you won’t read it because you’ll be saving energy on your phone. That’s ok, I get that. If you need anything, please let us know by calling Pastor Jay’s cell phone. 
But let’s talk about Michael – not the storm, but the Biblical figure. Michael is known as an “archangel” meaning literally that he is a “first messenger” (arche = “first” or “leader”, angel = “messenger”). He gets called that in the small New Testament letter, Jude. But that isn’t the first time that Michael shows up. Michael first shows up in the book of Daniel, and there he shows up three times in the book. In that book we learn that Michael is the “protector of Israel” and that Michael will “arise during the time of the end” (let’s hope that’s not prophetic about this storm). Lastly, Michael shows up in the Revelation to St. John where he defeats the armies of Satan in chapter 12.
Michael’s name is Hebrew for “Who is like God?” It is probably meant to be rhetorical. Who is like God? Nobody, not even this crazy powerful angel. Not even this crazy hurricane. Nobody, no thing, nada – there is none who is like God. That’s a good thing for us to remember whenever we are facing something powerful. We may have to face power, but we face it with a power that is greater than any power – the power of God.
Let’s face this storm with the power of God, praying for one another, praying for our city, praying for our neighbors, and acting on those prayers where we can. Who is like God? No one, and that is very good news.