By The Rev. John C. Dorhauer
UCC General Minister and President
Every lost life is a name, a history, a hope, a story - an unfulfilled future. Every lost life leaves behind loved ones who mourn and grieve and piece together a future of their own torn asunder by matters we cannot comprehend. I can't find words to capture this pain, this collective grief and anger. I cannot reach deep enough into my soul to express fully the pain, the anger, the rage, the confusion, the anxiety, the emptiness. When will it end?
Shaken
By The Rev. Don Remick
Associate Conference Minister
I am shaken.
There are times when words are not adequate. There are times when emotions run so deep and painful that any attempt to express them with words could unleash an uncontrollable flood. I am shaken. I do not know how to contain the feelings of sorrow, trauma, anger (rage) that come as news and images flood the screen from the shootings at the Las Vegas concert. And tears flow I might have a little more resilience if I hadn't also been watching the devastation and emerging agony and frustration of those in Puerto Rico, and Mexico, and Houston, and Florida and Barbuda and Antigua and Dominica and...
A Word in Response to the Mass Shooting in Las Vegas
By The Rev. Matthew Crebbin
Senior Minister, Newtown Congregaitonal Church, UCC, Newtown, CT
First...DO PRAY...I know that many within and beyond the faith community will say that thoughts and prayers are not enough and this is true. But prayer will be needed for the journey ahead. It's been nearly five years since the horror at Sandy Hook School and I would not have come this far without prayer.
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It is up to US to stop gun violence
By The Rev. Traci Blackmon
Executive Minister for Justice and Witness Ministries, UCC
"The worst mass shooting in modern American history."
We've heard these words before. We've heard them far too often only to have the next mass shooting supersede the former.
What we do already know, even if we refuse to admit it, is that this lone gunman was able to execute at least 59 people, and wound over 500 more, because our nation's absolute refusal to enact responsible gun legislation provides easy access to high-powered assault weapons used to kill human beings.
