Elgin church to remember Uvalde victims with memorial and vigil
May 26, 2022 "How long, O Lord? Will you forget us forever? How long will you hide your face from us? How long must we bear pain in our souls, and have sorrow in our hearts all day long?" (Psalm 13:1-2)
Today we mourn. Today we have been mourning after yet another senseless shooting that left 21 dead, robbed of their lives. 19 of them were kids whose lives have been taken way too early.
Today we weep. We weep like Jesus did with the mothers and fathers, with grandmothers, with siblings, with nephews and nieces and aunts and uncles and friends. Because this pandemic of violent people with guns impacts us all. And we need to weep in grief and sit in lament long enough that it brings us to the point to be able to stand up in the morning and do something… to stand up and take the steps to help bring healing to our world.
We, at First Presbyterian Church of Elgin, Illinois stands against any gun violence, against any hatred, against racism which took the lives in Buffalo less than 2 weeks ago. We stand with those who mourn today, and we will stand with those who fight to bring peace into our world.
We would like to invite you to join us in a time of mourning and lament. First, we will establish a memorial to the children of Uvalde, Texas on the front lawn of First Presbyterian Church at 240 Standish Street on the Elgin westside starting Thursday evening, May 26th and forward. Come alone or with those who you need to support you and your community during this time. Come to find a place of peace and silence where your tears can wet the earth and your heart can break, and where you can find some comfort and healing. Come as you are, as we all pray together to find a way to bring peace to our world.
Then, on Sunday, May 29th following our regularly schedule worship service (approximately 11:30), we have planned a short vigil if you need a place to grieve in community.
For more information about First Presbyterian Church of Elgin, Illinois, visit our website at www.fpce.org or visit our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/FPCElgin/
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ABOUT FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH ELGIN
We are a faith community of justice-seeking Presbyterians, responding to the God who calls us through the power of the Holy Spirit into wholeness, as a community that lives out the vision of the Gospel of Jesus the Christ in the world.
The mission of the members of First Presbyterian Church (USA), Elgin, is to invite, form, nurture, shape and sustain disciples of Jesus Christ. We are a faith community of justice-seeking Presbyterians, responding to the God who calls us through the power of the Holy Spirit into wholeness, as a community that lives out the vision of the Gospel of Jesus the Christ in the world.
The congregation strives to be an inclusive and loving faith community, and to serve as an agent of reconciliation in a broken and troubled world by:
• Nurturing the prophetic voice of the church through study, action and reflection
• Equipping faithful Presbyterians for responsible participation at all levels of the church
• Advocating for peace, for social, economic and political justice, for the integrity of creation, and for the full inclusion of all God's people in church and society