wfn.org | Religious leaders emphasize 'community' in face of shootings

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

Oct. 23, 2002  News media contact: Tim Tanton7(615)742-54707Nashville, Tenn.
10-21-71BP{486}

NOTE: Photographs are available with this report.

By Erik Alsgaard*

WASHINGTON (UMNS) - Religious leaders from around the metropolitan area
gathered Oct. 22 to offer prayer and support for community and law
enforcement officials investigating the ongoing series of sniper shootings.

Ten people have been killed in 13 random shootings in Maryland, Washington
D.C. and Virginia since Oct. 2. All 13 of the shootings have been linked to
the same gun. The latest killing occurred 12 hours before the worship
service began.

At Faith United Methodist Church in Rockville, Md., just blocks from
Montgomery County police headquarters and near several of the shooting
scenes, United Methodist Bishop Felton Edwin May of the Washington Area led
the worship service of healing, hope and peace. He also moderated a press
conference in the church's courtyard before the service.

The Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington and the Mayor's
Interfaith Council of Washington sponsored the event.

"I see the fear in people's eyes," the bishop told the media. "I sense the
anxiety in people's souls. It is for such a time as this that 'community'
becomes even more important. We must band together to offer each other our
care and support; to let each other know that violence in any form is not
acceptable and that the most important thing we have in life is each other."

May also addressed the fears being felt by children, especially poignant in
light of new information from Montgomery County Police Chief Charles Moose
that the sniper has left a note saying no children are safe anywhere, any
time.

"Children are keenly aware of what is happening around them," the bishop
said, "and they ask questions; they sense the fear and the anxiety of
disrupted routines." May said the religious community was gathering in
prayer this night "to say we care, we love you, and we're doing our best as
responsible adults to make this a safe world."

Theodore Cardinal McCarrick of the Archdiocese of Washington called the
nation to a time of prayer this weekend. "From sundown Friday night to
sundown Sunday, I invite all people of faith ... to join us in prayer," he
said at the press conference. "Join us as we pray for an end to the shooting
and all the violence that pervades our communities and country."  

During the worship service, attended by nearly 250 people, prayers were
offered in several faith traditions and languages. Representatives of the
law enforcement community, victims' families, the religious community,
teachers and students, and the entire community lit candles placed on the
altar as prayers were offered.

Individual worshipers also lit their own candles, until light filled the
sanctuary.

Sapna Kumar, 9, a member of Good Shepherd United Methodist Church in Silver
Spring, Md., then sang the solo, "This Little Light of Mine." The entire
congregation joined in the familiar tune. May's benediction charged those
gathered to "light a light rather than curse the darkness," and to take
their own lights of peace and hope out to the world.

Speaking during the press conference were Montgomery County Chief Executive
Doug Duncan, Prince George's County Executive Wayne Curry, Washington Mayor
Anthony Williams, Rabbi David Shneyer of the Am Kolel Community and Dr.
Rajwant Singh, representing the Sikh faith community.

Duncan thanked the religious leaders for calling the community to prayer and
for bringing people together for worship. "We need all the prayer we can
get," he said after the service. "None of us are safe. That's the sad
reality that we've been faced with since Oct. 2. The message in the letter
just confirmed that."

Williams, speaking to the press, quoted from Romans 8:38. "Neither death nor
life, neither height nor depth, can separate us from the love of God," the
mayor said. 

Curry said the shootings were a reminder of the importance of family and
community.

"All of us in the faith community will do our best to help you beyond our
prayers," May said. The bishop also noted that several organizations at the
prayer service have counselors available to the community and law
enforcement officials. "I strongly urge people who are suffering fear,
anxiety, or loss of hope to take that first step and talk with their rabbi,
cleric, priest or pastor."
# # #
*Alsgaard is managing editor of UMConnection, the newspaper of the
Baltimore-Washington Conference.

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United Methodist News Service
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