diff --git a/include/actofgod.h b/include/actofgod.h
index a28030a5..767a646f 100644
--- a/include/actofgod.h
+++ b/include/actofgod.h
@@ -38,5 +38,7 @@
 
 extern void report_god_takes(char *, char *, natid);
 extern void report_god_gives(char *, char *, natid);
+extern void divine_sct_change(struct sctstr *, char *, int, int, char *, ...)
+    ATTRIBUTE((format (printf, 5, 6)));
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/lib/commands/edit.c b/src/lib/commands/edit.c
index fcd2f39b..f2a16440 100644
--- a/src/lib/commands/edit.c
+++ b/src/lib/commands/edit.c
@@ -231,14 +231,8 @@ benefit(natid who, int goodness)
 static void
 noise(struct sctstr *sptr, char *name, int old, int new)
 {
-    pr("%s of %s changed from %d to %d\n",
-       name, xyas(sptr->sct_x, sptr->sct_y, player->cnum), old, new);
-    if (sptr->sct_own && sptr->sct_own != player->cnum && new != old)
-	wu(0, sptr->sct_own,
-	   "%s of %s changed from %d to %d by an act of %s\n",
-	   name, xyas(sptr->sct_x, sptr->sct_y, sptr->sct_own),
-	   old, new, cname(player->cnum));
-    benefit(sptr->sct_own, new - old);
+    divine_sct_change(sptr, name, new != old, new - old,
+		      "from %d to %d", old, new);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -438,17 +432,9 @@ edit_sect_i(struct sctstr *sect, char *key, int arg)
     case 'O':
 	if (arg < 0 || arg >= MAXNOC)
 	    return RET_SYN;
-	pr("Old owner of %s changed from %s to %s\n",
-	   xyas(sect->sct_x, sect->sct_y, player->cnum),
-	   prnatid(sect->sct_oldown), prnatid(arg));
-	if (arg == sect->sct_oldown)
-	    break;
-	if (sect->sct_own && sect->sct_own != player->cnum)
-	    wu(0, sect->sct_own,
-	       "Old owner of %s changed from %s to %s by an act of %s\n",
-	       xyas(sect->sct_x, sect->sct_y, player->cnum),
-	       prnatid(sect->sct_oldown), prnatid(arg),
-	       cname(player->cnum));
+	divine_sct_change(sect, "Old owner", arg != sect->sct_oldown, 0,
+			  "from %s to %s",
+			  prnatid(sect->sct_oldown), prnatid(arg));
 	sect->sct_oldown = arg;
 	break;
     case 'e':
@@ -618,18 +604,9 @@ edit_sect(struct sctstr *sect, char *key, char *p)
 	new = sct_typematch(p);
 	if (new < 0)
 	    return RET_SYN;
-	pr("Designation of %s changed from %c to %c\n",
-	   xyas(sect->sct_x, sect->sct_y, player->cnum),
-	   dchr[sect->sct_type].d_mnem, dchr[new].d_mnem);
-	if (new == sect->sct_type)
-	    break;
-	if (sect->sct_own && sect->sct_own != player->cnum)
-	    wu(0, sect->sct_own,
-	       "Designation of %s changed from %c to %c"
-	       " by an act of %s\n",
-	       xyas(sect->sct_x, sect->sct_y, player->cnum),
-	       dchr[sect->sct_type].d_mnem, dchr[new].d_mnem,
-	       cname(player->cnum));
+	divine_sct_change(sect, "Designation",
+			  new != sect->sct_type, 0, "from %c to %c",
+			  dchr[sect->sct_type].d_mnem, dchr[new].d_mnem);
 	set_coastal(sect, sect->sct_type, new);
 	sect->sct_type = new;
 	break;
@@ -637,18 +614,9 @@ edit_sect(struct sctstr *sect, char *key, char *p)
 	new = sct_typematch(p);
 	if (new < 0)
 	    return RET_SYN;
-	pr("New designation of %s changed from %c to %c\n",
-	   xyas(sect->sct_x, sect->sct_y, player->cnum),
-	   dchr[sect->sct_newtype].d_mnem, dchr[new].d_mnem);
-	if (new == sect->sct_newtype)
-	    break;
-	if (sect->sct_own && sect->sct_own != player->cnum)
-	    wu(0, sect->sct_own,
-	       "New designation of %s changed from %c to %c"
-	       " by an act of %s\n",
-	       xyas(sect->sct_x, sect->sct_y, player->cnum),
-	       dchr[sect->sct_newtype].d_mnem, dchr[new].d_mnem,
-	       cname(player->cnum));
+	divine_sct_change(sect, "New designation",
+			  new != sect->sct_newtype, 0, "from %c to %c",
+			  dchr[sect->sct_newtype].d_mnem, dchr[new].d_mnem);
 	sect->sct_newtype = new;
 	break;
     default:
diff --git a/src/lib/subs/actofgod.c b/src/lib/subs/actofgod.c
index 1a189bb3..e51d72b2 100644
--- a/src/lib/subs/actofgod.c
+++ b/src/lib/subs/actofgod.c
@@ -32,12 +32,14 @@
 
 #include <config.h>
 
+#include <stdarg.h>
 #include "actofgod.h"
 #include "file.h"
 #include "news.h"
 #include "optlist.h"
 #include "player.h"
 #include "prototypes.h"
+#include "sect.h"
 
 static void
 nreport_divine_aid(natid whom, int goodness)
@@ -65,3 +67,36 @@ report_god_gives(char *prefix, char *what, natid to)
 	nreport_divine_aid(to, 1);
     }
 }
+
+/*
+ * Report deity meddling with sector SP.
+ * Print a message (always), send a bulletin to the sector owner and
+ * report news (sometimes).
+ * NAME names what is being changed in the sector.
+ * If CHANGE is zero, the meddling is a no-op (bulletin suppressed).
+ * If a bulletin is sent, report N_AIDS news for positive GOODNESS,
+ * N_HURTS news for negative GOODNESS
+ * The bulletin's text is like "NAME of sector X,Y changed <how> by an
+ * act of <deity>, where <deity> is the deity's name, and <how> comes
+ * from formatting printf-style FMT with optional arguments.
+ */
+void
+divine_sct_change(struct sctstr *sp, char *name,
+		  int change, int goodness, char *fmt, ...)
+{
+    va_list ap;
+    char buf[4096];
+
+    va_start(ap, fmt);
+    vsnprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), fmt, ap);
+    va_end(ap);
+
+    pr("%s of %s changed %s\n",
+       name, xyas(sp->sct_x, sp->sct_y, player->cnum), buf);
+    if (change && sp->sct_own && sp->sct_own != player->cnum) {
+	wu(0, sp->sct_own, "%s of %s changed %s by an act of %s\n",
+	   name, xyas(sp->sct_x, sp->sct_y, sp->sct_own),
+	   buf, cname(player->cnum));
+	nreport_divine_aid(sp->sct_own, goodness);
+    }
+}