Thursday Update: Pastoral Response to Crisis

Dear Saint Stephen’s family,

The last week has been unfathomably difficult and yet, the most beautiful and hopeful week of my life. The outpouring of love from around the world, the people who have given so much from delivering meals, helping with flowers, spending hours in counseling and offering grief support, setting up spaces and creating receptions of homemade goodies, tying green mailbox bows, and offering a listening ear or hug, we are growing in our capacity to love and live into our Christian faith. On Sunday morning at 10:15, we will process into the Nave singing “Lead Us, Heavenly Father, Lead Us.” The journey ahead will be a long one, difficult and painful, because of the trauma of last week. God will certainly lead us, guide us, and care for us each step of the way.

I want to share a few things that are important, going forward. Our nave will be open for prayer Monday through Thursday from 9 am until 4 pm, and 9 am until noon on Fridays. You are always welcome to come and pray. In the Nave you can see our prayer ribbon project, and the entire community is invited into the nave to take a ribbon and write on it, and then attach it to the ribbon wall. Ribbons may be found at the prayer project at the Altar.

A picture of the prayer ribbons placed at the Altar of Saint Stephen’s.

Our church staff is going to take off this Friday and Saturday, but we will have volunteers answering the phone, and you are welcome to come and pray. If you are curious about our response to the tragedy on June 16, we have created the webpage www.ssechurch.org/response to help you navigate communications. All three funerals held this week may be viewed on the website.

We will continue with our regular schedule of worship this Sunday. This Sunday, being less than ten days from June 16, we will have a police presence outside during the morning worship and grief counselors onsite inside. It also feels too soon to resume time in the Parish Hall. A plan is emerging for a liturgy that will take place following the 10:15 am service on July 10 to reclaim that space as a sacred and holy space.

Many people have asked about where they can contribute financially. The Raineys, Yeagers, and Pounds all have encouraged people to make memorial gifts to Saint Stephen's in honor of Bart, Sharon, and Jane. You can contribute here.

Also, I want to say thank you. I don’t know where really to begin. From parishioners, families, first responders, and faith communities from Birmingham to the Netherlands and Australia, the outpouring of love and support is enormous and heartfelt. It reminds and teaches us about the power of love in this world, which always defeats death and creates the way to eternal life. I ask for your continued prayers and give thanks for the faithfulness of the families of Bart, Sharon, and Jane, and for all of those who attended the Boomers gathering or chose not to at the last minute. Finally, thank you for loving me, our clergy, and our staff. We will walk through the pain with love to find the source of all that is redeeming this world – the Love of Christ.

Faithfully,

The Rev. John B. Burruss