wfn.org | Pastors Attend Memorial Service

[umethnews-request@ecunet.org]

"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS" by SUSAN PEEK on Aug. 11, 1991 at 13:58 Eastern,
about FULL TEXT RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (3097 notes).

Note 3096 by UMNS on Aug. 1, 1996 at 16:08 Eastern (2716 characters).

SEARCH: Flight 800, disaster, emergency, connection, ministry,
Montoursville, memorial
Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of
the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New
York, and Washington.

CONTACT:  Ralph E. Baker                          382(10-71){3096}
          Nashville, Tenn. (615) 742-5470             Aug. 1, 1996

EDITORS NOTE: This story may be used as a sidebar to UMNS release
#381 {3095}.

New York pastors attend Pennsylvania memorial
for victims of TWA flight 800

                        A UMNS News Feature
                       by Kate SantaColoma*

     The Rev. Kenneth Prill, pastor of the East Moriches United
Methodist Church on Long Island spoke at a candlelight memorial
service for victims of the TWA flight 800 crash held at Faith
United Methodist Church, Montoursville, Pa.
     Five youths who were members of Faith Church and were going
to Paris with the high school French club, died in the crash.
     Prill brought with him to the memorial service words of
comfort, a bucket of sand from Moriches Bay near the crash site
and three candles.
     "I wanted to let the people know that even though they're in
Pennsylvania, far away from the crash site, they have
representatives in New York who are praying -- literally on the
Coast Guard docks -- for their loved ones," he said.
     "The sand represents the building of a bridge between our
churches in East Moriches and Montoursville. The candles, which we
lit at our worship service in New York that morning, represent the
Trinity," he said.
     Prill explained that he and his wife Sylvia had gone from
mall to mall looking for the most appropriate candles to use. They
decided on three white candles about four inches in diameter with
little pansies on them. "This way," said Prill, "smiling (pansy)
faces looked out as the candles glowed."
     According to the Rev. Bill Wolf, Long Island East district
superintendent, "it was a beautiful, simple service." About 250
people attended, he said. Pictures of the five youths were placed
on a table in the chancel. "There were also five vases with a rose
for each one."
     Friends and relatives had an opportunity to speak about each
of the youths. When the service was over everyone processed out of
the church lighting a candle as they left. They gathered on the
lawn around a circle of about 200 luminaries. In the middle of the
circle were the three candles brought from East Moriches.
     "It was really a beautiful service," said Wolf.
                              #  #  #
     * SantaColoma is editor of The Vision, monthly publication of
the New York Annual Conference.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

 To make suggestions or give your comments, send a note to 
 umns@ecunet.org or Susan_Peek@ecunet.org

 To unsubscribe, send the single word "unsubscribe" (no quotes)
 in a mail message to umethnews-request@ecunet.org

-----------------------------------------------------------------------