LISTSERV mailing list manager LISTSERV 16.0

Help for ELCANEWS Archives


ELCANEWS Archives

ELCANEWS Archives


ELCANEWS@LISTSERV.ELCA.ORG


View:

Message:

[

First

|

Previous

|

Next

|

Last

]

By Topic:

[

First

|

Previous

|

Next

|

Last

]

By Author:

[

First

|

Previous

|

Next

|

Last

]

Font:

Monospaced Font

LISTSERV Archives

LISTSERV Archives

ELCANEWS Home

ELCANEWS Home

ELCANEWS  April 2007

ELCANEWS April 2007

Subject:

ELCA Pastor Delivers Christian Message at Virginia Tech Convocation

From:

[log in to unmask]

Reply-To:

[log in to unmask]

Date:

Tue, 17 Apr 2007 17:00:38 -0500

Content-Type:

text/plain

Parts/Attachments:

Parts/Attachments

text/plain (115 lines)

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

April 17, 2007

ELCA Pastor Delivers Christian Message at Virginia Tech Convocation
07-058-MRC

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. William H. King, Lutheran campus
pastor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
(Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, Va., and staff of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), delivered the Christian
message April 17 at the Virginia Tech Convocation where students,
faculty and others of the community gathered to remember the
victims of yesterday's shooting on campus. According to the
Virginia Tech Web site, at least 33 people died including the
gunman.
     "We're gathered this afternoon for many purposes. To weep
for lost friends and families, to mourn our lost innocence, to
walk forward in the wake of unspeakable tragedy, to embrace hope
in the shadow of despair, to join our voices and our longing for
peace, healing and understanding which is much greater than any
single faith community, to embrace that which unifies, and to
reject the seductive temptation to hate," said King, who also
serves as deployed staff of the Department for Campus Ministry,
ELCA Vocation and Education.
     "We gather together weeping, yes, we weep with an agony too
deep for words and sighs that are inexpressible, but also we
gather affirming the sovereignty of life over death. At a time
such as this the darkness of evil seems powerful indeed. It
casts a pall over our simple joys, joys as simple as playing
Frisbee on the Drill Field. We struggle to imagine a future
beyond this agony. If we ever harbored any illusions that our
campus is an idyllic refuge from the violence of the rest the
world, they are gone forever. And yet we come to this place to
testify that the light of love cannot be defeated. Amid all our
pain, we confess that the light shines in the darkness and the
darkness has not overcome it," said King.
     "We cannot undo yesterday's tragic events, but we can sit in
patient silence with those who mourn as they seek for a way
forward. As we share light one with another, we reclaim our
campus. Let us deny death's power to rob us of all that we have
loved about Virginia Tech, our community. Let us cast our lot
with hope in defiance of despair," said King, who invited the
convocation to a moment of silence.
     President George W. Bush addressed the convocation. "Laura
and I have come to Blacksburg today with hearts full of sorrow.
This is a day of mourning for the Virginia Tech community, and it
is a day of sadness for our entire nation. In this time of
anguish, I hope you know that people all over this country are
thinking about you and asking God to provide comfort for all who
have been affected," he said.
     "People who have never met you are praying for you. They're
praying for your friends who have fallen and who are injured.
There's a power in these prayers, a real power. In times like
this, we can find comfort in the grace and guidance of a loving
God," said Bush, who ordered flags to be flown at half-staff
through sunset on Sunday, April 22.
     Worship will take place at Luther Memorial Lutheran Church,
an ELCA congregation located across the street from the
university's campus, the evening of April 17. After the service
worshippers will be invited to join the prayer vigil taking place
on Virginia Tech's Drill Field, said the Rev. Gary R. Schroeder,
pastor, Luther Memorial Lutheran Church. "Many people have lost
friends, colleagues and neighbors," he said. "We're a close-knit
community."
     The Rev. James F. Mauney, bishop of the ELCA Virginia Synod,
Salem, and Jan Tobias, Lutheran Disaster Response coordinator for
Virginia, are expected to attend the service.

Letter to members of the ELCA Virginia Synod
     In an April 16 letter to members of the ELCA Virginia Synod,
Mauney said, "Our pastors and people in the Blacksburg area have
been responding with a host of others all day long. It will be a
day for them that they will not forget. I am grateful for the
presence of our campus ministry at Virginia Tech and for our
campus pastors, Bill King and (the Rev.) Joanna Stallings. I am
grateful for the parish of Luther Memorial (and) Pastor Gary
Schroeder, who work with the campus ministry at Virginia Tech.
     "It is a long, troubling night as families wait to be
contacted either by their children or by authorities. It is the
time between seeing the great cloud of the explosion and knowing
that there is yet a powerful shock wave that is coming. The
shock wave will come as the names of victims are released," he
said.
     "We all wait to hear, parents and children. At this
international university the names could be from anywhere, and
they are all precious to our Lord, who knew violent death at the
hands of others, and a heavenly Father who has known the death of
an only Son," Mauney said.
     "It is also a time of prayers for healing for those wounded
or injured. There will be wounds of mind and heart and soul to
be healed as well. It is a time for prayers of forgiveness," he
said.
     "For many, this night is a time of some quiet thankfulness
as children have called home.
     "I am grateful to God for the vast array of gifted, talented
law enforcement personnel, rescue workers, nurses, physicians,
chaplains, pastors, teachers, and a host of others who have
risked and served for everyone who was in need before them this
day," said Mauney. "Let us remember all the administration,
staff, faculty, students, campus ministry, and families of
Virginia Tech in our prayers this night. It is yet a time of
coming lamentation."
- - -
     Audio of King's message is available at
http://media.ELCA.org/audionews/070417.mp3 on the ELCA Web site.

     Information about Luther Memorial Lutheran Church,
Blacksburg, Va., is available at http://www.lmlc.org on the
Internet.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog

Top of Message | Previous Page | Permalink

Advanced Options


Options

Log In

Log In

Get Password

Get Password


Search Archives

Search Archives


Subscribe or Unsubscribe

Subscribe or Unsubscribe


Archives

October 2024
September 2024
August 2024
July 2024
June 2024
May 2024
April 2024
March 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
November 2018
October 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004
September 2004
August 2004
July 2004
June 2004
May 2004
April 2004
March 2004
February 2004
January 2004
December 2003
November 2003
October 2003
September 2003
August 2003
July 2003
June 2003
May 2003
April 2003
March 2003
February 2003
January 2003
December 2002
November 2002
October 2002
September 2002
August 2002
July 2002
June 2002
May 2002
April 2002
March 2002
February 2002
January 2002
December 2001
November 2001
October 2001
September 2001
August 2001
July 2001
June 2001
May 2001
April 2001
March 2001
February 2001
January 2001
December 2000
November 2000
October 2000
September 2000
August 2000
July 2000
June 2000
May 2000
April 2000
March 2000
February 2000
January 2000
December 1999
November 1999
October 1999
September 1999
August 1999
July 1999
June 1999
May 1999
April 1999
March 1999
February 1999
January 1999
December 1998
November 1998
October 1998
September 1998
August 1998
July 1998
June 1998
May 1998
April 1998
March 1998
February 1998
January 1998
December 1997
November 1997
October 1997
September 1997
August 1997
July 1997
June 1997
May 1997
April 1997
March 1997
February 1997
January 1997
December 1996
November 1996
October 1996
September 1996
August 1996
July 1996
June 1996
May 1996
April 1996
March 1996
February 1996
January 1996

ATOM RSS1 RSS2



LISTSERV.ELCA.ORG

CataList Email List Search Powered by the LISTSERV Email List Manager