Dearest Friends,
I write this knowing that many of us have been deeply saddened and shaken by the shooting at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist church in Knoxville, Tennessee on Sunday. We are a small denomination and when members of our larger faith community suffer such a loss, it impacts all of us. I have included a message from President of the UUA, Rev. William Sinkford at the bottom of this letter, so you can read his words as well as find links for more information.
Please know that the Deacons and Trustees have already sent cards of condolence to the Tennessee Valley UU church and to the Westside UU church on behalf of our congregation. (Members of both congregations were in the sanctuary of the Tennessee Valley UU church when the shooting occurred.) You are welcome to send your own cards; mailing addresses are at the bottom of this email. You can also leave a message of condolence on the blog set up by the UUA for this purpose at:
http://is.gd/1aRE [ knoxvillesupport.blogspot.com ]
Please do not email the churches directly as their mailboxes are already full.
I invite and encourage you to hold those most impacted by this event in your prayers or meditations. Please remember:
McKendry and Linda Kraeger, who were killed, and their families and loved ones;
Jack Barnhart, Linda Chavez, Tammy Sommers, Joe Barnhart, who were wounded and are still hospitalized, and their families and loved ones;
the congregations of the Tennessee Valley UU Church and Westside UU Church, especially those who experienced the violence, the children who were present and the leaders of these congregations as they begin to move toward healing.
http://www.uua.org/giving/donatenow/117168.shtml
A shooting in a religious sanctuary is a terrible and fearful thing — it violates and contradicts everything that sanctuary means — peace, sacredness, safety, refuge. Please be assured that the church leaders and staff will take very seriously the safety recommendations from the UU Trauma Response Team in the aftermath of this event. And we will also continue to take very seriously our congregation’s deeply held commitment to welcoming all who seek sanctuary and community here.
In closing, I quote these powerful and beautiful words from President Sinkford:
“Fear will not prevent us from standing on the side of love, and we will continue to open our doors and our hearts to all people. This Sunday, just like any other, more than one thousand Unitarian Universalist congregations will be open for business, and our business is to welcome the stranger, to love our neighbor, to nurture the spirits of our people, and to help heal our wounded world.”
Blessings,
Elea
Knoxville, TN — Rev. William G. Sinkford issued the following statement after visiting the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville:
The shootings here in Knoxville have shocked and grieved us all. The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) is providing all of the support we can muster to minister to those touched most immediately by this horrific tragedy. This crime was the action of one man who clearly must have lost the battle with his personal demons. When I was asked if the shooter would go to hell, I replied that he must have been living in his own private hell for years.
While the shooter was just one man, this attack was an assault on the entire Knoxville community, not simply one or two congregations. The heroic and generous actions of the people inside the Tennessee Valley UU Church have inspired the respect and admiration of the city, the nation, and even, perhaps, much of the world. The start of the healing process has brought together thousands of individuals. Monday night’s candlelight vigil was overflowing with people of many faiths who were unwilling to let traditional lines of religious division keep them apart. That response is a true blessing.
Unitarian Universalism is a faith that is not based on a particular creed. Instead, it is grounded in a few deeply held principles. First among these principles is “the inherent worth and dignity of all people,” a belief that compels us to speak out on important justice issues. This has been part of our mission since the early days of abolitionism, continuing through women’s suffrage, the civil rights movement, and our current advocacy on behalf of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons. We truly are a church of “all souls,” not just some souls.
It will take time for Unitarian Universalists to mourn and to heal. But let me assure you that we will not change our beliefs or compromise our demands for social justice. Fear will not prevent us from standing on the side of love, and we will continue to open our doors and our hearts to all people. This Sunday, just like any other, more than one thousand Unitarian Universalist congregations will be open for business, and our business is to welcome the stranger, to love our neighbor, to nurture the spirits of our people, and to help heal our wounded world.
For more information about the UU Response in Knoxville, visit:
http://www.uua.org/news/newssubmissions/117156.shtml
Those killed and injured were from two area congregations that were participating in a joint worship service at TVUUC. Letters of sympathy may be mailed to both Knoxville congregations:
Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church
2931 Kingston Pike
Knoxville, TN 37919-4624
Westside Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
616 Fretz Road
Knoxville, TN 37934-1604
