“There’s a party going on in heaven right now for those who went home to be with the Lord,” a worship leader said from the pulpit of Houston’s The Dwelling Place church on Sunday morning as rescue teams scoured the ravaged area around the Guadalupe River, where some news outlets reported that at least 82 bodies were recovered over the weekend after a devastating flood.
The image of a heavenly celebration isn’t one that everyone embraces. Social media arguments escalated as Texans sparred over how best to grieve and who to blame for the floodwaters that hit Kerr County and Central Texas on July 4.
“When I feel helpless, all I know to do is pray,” said a woman attending Sunday services in Houston. She was one of many who gathered to pray for the missing, the families of the deceased, and search and rescue personnel, some of whom traveled from Houston. Some of the bodies recovered were Houston-area residents.
Gregg Matte, senior pastor at Houston’s First Baptist Church, announced a donation to Send Relief and encouraged parishioners to “join us as we pray for those affected and for those on the front lines of search and rescue.”
“God answers our prayers for healing in three ways: medicine, miracles, or sometimes in heaven,” Matte said in a recent sermon, prior to the Kerr County flood.
An elder at The Dwelling Place on Airtex Road called for healing Sunday morning as the congregation laid hands on one another. Many wept — for the children who were swept away from Camp Mystic over the holiday weekend — and for the families who are mourning.
“Father, we lift each family member to you,” the elder said. “We ask that the light of your presence break through the grief of each and every family member that has lost loved ones. We take charge over questions, over bitterness that would try to come in, over the lies of the enemy of why this happened. We ask for your presence to fill every heart and every mind and that they would see you at this time.”
Debates and finger-pointing began almost immediately, with Texans questioning whether the state is ignoring the effects of climate change and whether state and federal budget cuts to the National Weather Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration impacted the ability to deliver timely warning messages.
In response to the criticism, some state leaders pointed out that the National Weather Service issued a flood watch alert on Thursday, forecasting up to seven inches of rain overnight. The rainfall exceeded 12 inches in some areas and the Guadalupe River swelled by 26 feet in less than an hour.
Would a countywide siren system have provided enough warning to evacuate the area and reduce the death toll? Should the children’s cabins at Camp Mystic have been in such close proximity to a high river? Is President Donald Trump somehow at fault, or should we blame those who voted for him? Does the nation only care, as one former appointee of Houston’s Food Insecurity Board suggested, because the children at Camp Mystic were wealthy white girls?
A message on Camp Mystic’s website noted that the remaining summer retreat staff is “grieving the loss of 27 campers and counselors following the catastrophic flooding on the Guadalupe River.”
“Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy. We are praying for them constantly,” the website states.
It’s not a good look to make political attacks during a crisis, wrote Michelle H. Davis in a Lone Star Left newsletter distributed Sunday.
“There isn’t one person in Texas who isn’t grieving right now, regardless of political affiliation, religious background, or socioeconomic status,” Davis said. “Parents are identifying bodies. Volunteers are digging out the wreckage where summer cabins once stood.
“There are children still missing. This is not the time for smug detachment or clever tweets. This is a time for mourning, and across the state, Texans are coming together to support one another. We always do. That’s Texas. That’s who we are.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called for a day of prayer on Sunday.
“Texans are known for their faith, strength, and resilience,” Abbott said in a statement. “Even as floodwaters raged, neighbors rushed in to rescue, comfort, and bring hope. In times of loss, we turn to God for comfort, healing, and strength. I urge every Texan to join me in prayer this Sunday — for the lives lost, for those still missing, for the recovery of our communities, and for the safety of those on the front lines.
Houston leaders, including Mayor John Whitmire, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Controller Chris Hollins, joined the chorus of prayer for the families and rescue of those still missing, and they also took action. Members of the Houston Fire Department deployed Saturday to assist with search and rescue.
“As we so often see help from around the state come to Houston when we face floods, we are proud to be able to support others in their time of need,” Houston Fire Chief Thomas Muñoz said.
“As mayor of a city that knows the toll of major storms, I understand the fear and uncertainty so many are feeling,” Whitmire said in a statement. “I’m in contact with Houstonians in the Hill Country, including parents with children in summer camps, and checking on their well-being. I know that our members of the Houston Fire Department will do a great job assisting with response and recovery during this difficult time.”
The Kerrville Police Department cautioned Texans on Saturday against self-deploying to assist with search efforts. Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr. asked for prayers.
“We will rescue those in peril, and we will find those who are lost,” he said. “I continue to ask everyone to pray for Kerrville and Kerr County. We need your prayers and thank God we have the help of the federal government and the state government in this horrible, horrible crisis.”
FEMA announced Sunday that federal disaster assistance is available to Texas “to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, and flooding from July 2, 2025, and continuing.”
Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs and low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, according to a press release. Funding is also available for state and eligible local governments and “certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms,” according to the release.
Those who want to give are encouraged to donate to a local charity like the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, which set up a specific fund for flood relief. The Texas Attorney General’s Office pointed out that legitimate charities don’t typically solicit donations by phone calls or text messages. Charities can be researched through CharityWatch and Guidestar.
“Do not use links embedded in unsolicited emails to access an organization’s website,” the AG’s office advised.
