Updated 6/23/15:
Our hearts, thoughts, and prayers go out to the families of the victims of the shooting at Mother Emanual AME Church in Charleston. We join people of faith all over the country in praying for the lives lost, for a church attacked, and for the evils of racism, hate, and gun violence. In our worship on Sunday, we lit candles for the victims, people of faith who welcomed a stranger into their sanctuary only to have him unleash hate and terror upon them.
Here you can find our worship bulletin, Mother Emanuel insert, and sermon by Pastor Erin from worship this past Sunday.
Here is more information about the special hymn we sang, written on Saturday morning by a PCUSA pastor.
Here is the statement and prayer written by our PCUSA leadership.
Here are some ways you can help:
1. Pray.
Pray for the victims, pray for their families and friends, pray for their congregation. Pray for the shooter. Pray for the community. Pray for the AME denomination. Pray for the Church. Pray for an end to racism, hate, and gun violence.
2. Learn.
There are wonderful resources available to learn more about racism and gun violence. Professors have been compiling a list of those resources online using the hashtag #CharlestonSyllabus. Much of that list has been recorded and organized here.
3. Donate.
Charleston’s Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr. has set up the“Mother Emanuel Hope” fund . The fund will help family members pay for funerals, counseling and other financial needs. Donations can be online, by texting ‘prayforcharleston‘ to 843-606-5995 additionally you can walk into any of Wells Fargo’s 6,200 banking locations now you can also make a check out to “Mother Emanuel Hope Fund” and send it to this address: Mother Emanuel Hope Fund, C/O City of Charleston, P.O. Box 304 Charleston, SC 29402
4. Act.
Get involved in efforts to fight racism in our own community. This summer we’re training volunteers to facilitate sacred conversations on race at Presbyterian churches in the region. We could always use more facilitators! Or participate in a conversation when we host discussions this fall. Learn about what your school or workplace is doing to encourage diversity and conversation. Talk about race and privilege with your family and friends.
Posted 6/18/15:
Our hearts are broken over the shooting at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, SC.
At 7:00 tonight at Friendly Temple Church, 5515 Dr. Martin Luther King Drive there will be a city-wide prayer vigil. A group of us will be leaving from Oak Hill’s parking lot at 6:30pm if you’d like to ride along.
We will pray for the murder victims, their families, friends, church members, and the entire community of Charleston. We will pray for true justice and deep peace for all.