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Indiana bishops, dioceses offer prayers and resources as deadly extreme weather continues statewide

August 19, 2026

[Episcopal News Service] Northern Indiana Bishop Douglas Sparks and Indianapolis Bishop Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows offered prayers as the state continues to experience thunderstorms, heavy rainfall, tornadoes and severe flooding. The storms began on Aug. 11, killing at least seven people, displacing at least 1,000 people and causing power outages. Sparks has been communicating with clergy, lay leaders and Episcopal Relief & Development to assess how best to assist with relief efforts across the South Bend-based Diocese of Northern Indiana, especially Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties, which were the most heavily impacted. None of the churches have sustained major damage, but some remain without power. No injuries have been reported. Two of Sparks’ biggest concerns, however, are caring for the elderly and feeding people who can’t store food.  “Those most affected are the elderly in many of our faith communities. They don’t have family members who can rush over and are often living by themselves,” Sparks told Episcopal News Service in an Aug. 18 phone interview. “There are people in our faith communities who went to the store and got their groceries, then the storms hit, and all of their perishable food is gone. With Episcopal Relief & Development, we’re trying to gauge how much resources we need to cover food expenses as best we can.”  Baskerville-Burrows is out of state but has been regularly communicating with diocesan staff. “My heart is with you all in Indiana. Watching the impact of the floods and storms over the last few days has been so hard to watch from afar,” Baskerville-Burrows said in an Aug. 17 video message posted to the diocese’s YouTube channel. “My staff and I are keeping track and will be calling clergy and lay leaders,” she said. “We’re trying to make sure that you’re doing OK.” The Diocese of Indianapolis will provide updates on its website and social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Some parts of Indiana reported receiving more than 12 inches of rain over two days, according to the National Weather Service. Most of the severe flooding is occurring along the White River, a two-forked river that’s the main tributary to the larger Wabash River. Indianapolis, Indiana’s capital and most populous city, sits along the White River’s west fork. In Anderson, located 43 miles northeast of Indianapolis, the White River rose to a record 24.93 feet, surpassing the record previously set during the Great Flood of 1913. Flooding in the Mississinewa River has also severely impacted residents in eastern Indiana and killed at least one person, a teenager. The flooding also has forced hundreds of people to evacuate. First responders have been rescuing stranded people and animals by boat. In Carmel, a northern suburb of Indianapolis, a bridge over Blue Woods Creek collapsed after floodwaters broke it in half and washed a section of it away, forcing a major road to close. Hamilton County Commissioner Christine Altman confirmed the bridge as a “total loss.” The city’s main sewer line that carries 90% of Carmel’s wastewater has a “90% chance” of collapsing, threatening an environmental crisis, according to officials. St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Carmel collected funds to support local recovery efforts during its Aug. 16 morning worship service. Fishers, a Hamilton County suburb just east of Carmel, on Aug. 15 declared a local disaster emergency, which will remain in effect until Aug. 22. The city launched a 24/7 hotline and an online form to assist residents with non-emergency issues. On Aug. 11, the same day the floods started in central and southern Indiana, multiple tornadoes and a derecho – a fast-moving, straight-line windstorm that causes hurricane-force winds, heavy rain and flash floods – struck northeast Illinois and Northwest Indiana. The storms killed at least three people, including an unhoused woman who was struck by roofing material in Gary. About 301,000 households lost power then, and 93,000 households remain without power as of Aug. 18, according to the Northern Indiana Public Service Company.  In South Bend, about 66 miles east of Gary, Diocese of Northern Indiana staff sheltered in the basement of the Cathedral of St. James during the storm. “People are dealing with a mixture of challenges at this point,” Sparks said. Indiana Gov. Mike Braun declared a statewide disaster emergency on Aug. 13 and deployed the Indiana National Guard to provide additional relief assistance to the northwest cities of Gary, Hobart and Munster in Lake County, near Chicago, Illinois. National Guardsmen are also now assisting with flood relief efforts statewide. In an Aug. 17 email, the Diocese of Indianapolis shared a list of local flood relief resources, including information from the American Red Cross of Indiana, the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, and Indiana 211. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Indianapolis set up a web page sharing the most effective ways to help, including where to donate money and supplies, and where to volunteer for relief assistance. “When our neighbors are hurting, we are called to draw near,” St. Paul’s said in an Aug. 16 Facebook post. “This is what it means to live our mission: Sharing Christ’s Love. Creating Community. Striving for Justice. In a moment of crisis, we show up for one another – with compassion, generosity and hope.” Episcopal Relief & Development’s website includes information on how to respond immediately after a disaster. In her video message, Baskerville-Burrows said she’s “been heartened by the many ways in which you have shown up for each other.” “I’ve seen pictures and videos of you filling sandbags, canceling plans for your Sunday events and being present to those most in need at this time and making adjustments on the fly as we deal with the impact of the waters that continue to rise,” she said. The Diocese of Northern Indiana is accepting donations to the bishop’s discretionary fund that will be used for relief efforts. Across the Midwest, a developing El Niño weather pattern has brought above-normal temperatures, storms, flooding and high winds throughout the […]