Dear friends,
Tonight we reach out to enact a conference-wide call to prayer and action following the tragic news of today's shooting on the grounds of East High School in Des Moines.
We mourn with and pray for the families and friends of the 15-year-old boy who did not survive his injuries and for the 16-year-old and 18-year-old girls who remain in critical condition. We pray for the students, teachers and administrators of East High noting the traumatizing effect of fear. We pray for the first responders and medical professionals who cared for the wounded and for law enforcement officials as they continue their investigation. We pray also for the shooter(s), not knowing their story but knowing they, too, are beloved of God.
We pray for all those who have had enough - enough violence, enough trauma, enough fear - who work for real change. We pray for the time we will no longer hear about another senseless death resulting from gun violence. To that end, we pray for the vision of the Prophet Micah that weapons of violence will be turned into instruments of peace.
Bishop Laurie Haller and the Appointive Cabinet
To learn more about the shooting follow this AP link: https://apnews.com/article/shootings-education-iowa-des-moines-4b922d1471c3d883943f938ace5633cd