Oregon Prayer Spotlight: Garibaldi

Garibaldi, Oregon

 O Lord, how manifold are Your works!

In wisdom You have made them all.
The earth is full of Your possessions—
This great and wide sea,
In which are innumerable teeming things,
Living things both small and great. Psalm 104: 24-25

 We’ve been going through Oregon county by county, but would like to take a moment to spotlight individual communities as we go through the state. For this post we are focusing on the coastal community of Garibaldi, known as "Oregon's Authentic Fishing Village."

Garibaldi is in Tillamook County, one of the counties where I do have roots. I have family about half an hour to the south, near Pacific City. More on Tillamook County in a later post.

My last trip through Garibaldi was just last fall when some friends and I stayed in Rockaway Beach, a few miles north. As the guide for my out-of-state friends, my plan was to ride the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad train from Rockaway to Garibaldi, but we were distracted by other sights. There is much to do along that section of coast. 

Garibaldi was first settled just after the Civil War when Daniel Bayley took up land where the city is now located. President Ulysses S. Grant deeded him the land which he subdivided. In 1870 President Grant appointed him as postmaster of the new town, which Daniel named after someone he admired: Guiseppe Garibaldi, an Italian general still thought to be one of the greatest of modern times. He was known for fighting for democracy and for unifying Italy. 

Image by Davgood Kirshot from Pixabay 

Although it was settled early, Garibaldi wasn’t incorporated until 1946. The population is about 780 and it is supported by fishing, tourism and some logging and lumber mills. A well-known landmark is a tall smokestack, the remains of a paper mill. The smokestack was built in 1927. I might add, it is a very charming little coastal community.

The town has a Council-Manager form of government with a mayor, Judy Riggs, three councilmen and a city manager. 

How to pray for Garibaldi? It is encouraging, somehow, that this community is named after a good guy, a freedom fighter in the best sense. We, too, need to stand and fight as prayer warriors for this community and many others around the state. He unified Italy; we can pray for unity in our Oregon communities. We have the keys:

And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Matthew 16:19

These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens.” Revelation 3:7

As intercessors, we need to pray in the opposite of any anger, division, or strife in any department of city government. Declare blessings over the community in education, the economy, the churches.

Bind division and strife; loose unity and peace

Bind poverty and lack; loose prosperity and provision

Bind confusion; loose wisdom and insight 

Bind fear; loose faith

Bind discouragement and depression; loose hope and strength

Lord, you have made us sit together with You in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6) and from this position of authority we speak peace over Garibaldi, and freedom from all anger, division or bitterness. We open the door to peace and unity, closing the door to confusion and all evil. 

Margaret