A Letter from Synod Executives Regarding Virginia Tech Tragedy

Dear Friends,

The massacre at Virginia Tech on Monday has been painful for us all, and perhaps more so for the Korean community in the United States, including the Korean Christian community whose values were so violated by the murders, because the student-perpetrator was a young Korean national. We don’t know whether there will be any backlash against our Korean brothers and sisters, but it certainly is an unwelcome possibility. The mutual support in Christ that we can show to one another is important.

Eastern Korean Presbytery and the Korean American Caucus will have a memorial service at the Pilgrim Presbyterian Church, 18 Essex Road, Paramus, NJ on Monday evening, April 23 at 7:30 PM. It would be such a sign of support and mutuality if Executive Presbyters (and other presbytery staff persons located within a reasonable distance), could travel to Paramus to walk side by side with our brothers and sisters in grief, and in hope, remembering all the victims and their families, including the young man who was responsible for the deaths, looking to God for signs of hope and sustenance.

Sam Kim has graciously agreed to send along copies of prayers and litanies from the worship service that your congregations may be willing to utilize during worship some time soon, although they may not be available for this Sunday. Utilizing a part of the memorial service liturgy may be one way to stand side by side in faith. I want to thank Marty Miller for suggesting it. When it is available, we’ll post the information on the synod’s web site and send along a note about its accessibility.

We trust you received GAC Executive Director Linda Valentine’s note on Tuesday outlining the ministry of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) on the campus of Virginia Tech University at Blacksburg, VA. The Church as the Body of Christ is present, reaching out in small and large ways, to making a difference in the midst of an agonizingly difficult time.

God bless you all in your ministries of compassion, and as you assist people to know how such heartbreaking and horrifying things can happen in a world created by a good God. May we all derive strength from Jesus Christ, crucified and risen from the dead, full of grace and mercy.

Clint McCoy Executive for Partnerships

Mary Lynne Flowers Executive for Administration/Stated Clerk