Dear RCPC,

      

Many of us awoke with a start this morning to learn of the killing of Allison Parker and Adam Ward at Smith Mountain Lake during their morning segment on tourism for WDBJ.  This is a shock to many of us, as we consider ours to be a safe and peaceful community.  Today students have sat in classrooms on lock-down, residents have risen quickly to lock their doors, and citizens around our community are questioning their safety.  

      

As people of Christian faith, what do we do in times like this?  The evil around us seems so random and so real, a force that we can neither control nor seem to defeat.  We feel helpless in the face of horror and danger.  The first response, I believe, is to lament.  The Psalms and the Prophets regularly cry out to God in their pain and suffering.  We cry out to God to remember us, to hear our prayer, and to act in ways to restore peace.  Secondly, we grieve for the family and friends of Ms. Parker and Mr. Ward.  We pray for the healing of Vicki Gardner who was injured in the shooting.   And we even pray for those who loved the shooter, Vester Lee Flanagan, for our Lord will accept nothing less than to love even those we wish to label our enemies.

     

We pray for those who watched this tragedy live on television and hope that they find the appropriate counsel to process the event.  And I imagine many of you join me in praying for peace, for we are weary of these all-too-frequent reports of senseless killing in our nation.  May we learn better ways to handle our anger, find communities to provide us with support and love, and ground our communal identity in your grace.

      

Finally, though, my hope is that we can remember the hope that is ours in Christ.  Yes, there is Sin and Death around us, and these powers continue to strive to thwart God's reign even though Jesus has been raised from the dead.  What we know by that resurrection, however, is that Death is not the ultimate victor, that Sin is not the ultimate master.  Because of Christ's victory over death we know that sacrificial love and forgiveness are the ultimate authority of God.  May we live into that hope and commit ourselves to serving our true master, who guides our feet into the ways of peace.

Gratefully,

Andrew