“There are no words,” begins Bishop John Schol in his poignant letter of response to the painful spate of mass murders tolling like death knells across our nation’s mournful landscape—from Buffalo, New York, to Southern California to tiny Uvalde, Texas. …
Churches condemn hate, urge action after shootings
Lincoln Memorial United Methodist Church stands a few blocks from the grocery store where a gunman opened fire May 14 — killing 10 people and injuring three. But for members of the largely Black congregation in Buffalo, what officials labeled a white supremacist attack hit far closer to home…
Grieving, praying after attack on school
United Methodists are stepping up to provide support and prayer after a horrific shooting at a Texas elementary school that took the lives of at least 19 children and two teachers. Even as they pray for grieving families and a traumatized community, many in the church are also asking in the words of Psalm 13: “How long, Oh Lord, how long?”
God, show us how to do more: A prayer in response to violence
Holy One, Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of those in Uvalde, Texas. We recognize, however, that this isn’t enough. Mobilize us, God. We do not want to be desensitized to violence. Stir something deep within …
Next Urban Summit to focus on victims, ‘co-victims’ of violence, Sept. 25
Honoring Victims and Co-victims* of Violence: An Urban Mini-Summit The Eastern PA Conference Urban Commission will sponsor an Urban Mini-Summit on urban violence on Saturday, Sept. 25, at 10 AM to 12 PM, via Zoom video-conferencing. That date has been the …
Churches to witness against gun violence Sunday
St. Matthew’s UMC of Valley Forge will join neighboring churches in a public witness on Sunday, Sept. 19, at 3:30 PM, against the lethal, senseless gun violence that is taking many lives and in favor of sensible gun safety laws. …