Dear St. Lukers,
It is with heavy hearts we write to you as we process the tragic shooting at Robb Elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. The count as of now is 19 children, second grade through fourth grade, and two teachers who are dead in another senseless school shooting. Many are in the hospital and the whole town aches with grief and anguish. As does the nation.
This shooting falls on the heels of the shooting at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York where 10 were killed by a young man with racist intentions. And a shooting at a Taiwanese congregation in Southern California motivated by race-based hatred.
This week in Florida, students stood outside a middle school holding placards with a racial slur, with some letters written in red, posting it to social media. In Ohio, students placed “blacks only” and “whites only” signs on water fountains in their high school to post on social media before taking them down.
“In everything,” Jesus said, “treat others as you would be treated.”
We are so far from the Kingdom living Jesus has been inviting disciples into since that first teaching on a mountain centuries ago. While we do need action to follow up our belief that enough is enough, we also do need prayer and worship. To seek healing for victims and families, to pray for those who have been revictimized after already burying their children in Sandy Hook, Parkland, California, and so many other sites. We need to allow our anger to be turned from hatred, toward action fueled by the Holy Spirit. We need to come together to remember where our foundation truly lies, in the power of Jesus Christ and His calling toward a Kingdom of Heaven view of the world.
Starting today at 5:00 p.m., our Prayer Chapel will be open through the weekend as a place to pray and offer commitments to action. There will be three screens of candles representing the victims of the three latest shootings, as well as Communion elements on the altar. You may go pray, receive communion, and list your prayers and ways you believe you can commit to making a change...
