Coming together in times of tragedy

The team at Foodshare, including volunteers and people from our partner agencies who were at the building picking up food, came together this morning at 9:30 for the national moment of silence to remember and pray for the victims of the school shooting in Sandy Hook.

After the silence, staff member Doug Cooke, an ordained Christian clergyman, led us in the following prayer:

"One verse from Matthew's Gospel in the Bible is very appropriate at this time:  'Jesus said, let the little children come to me, and do not stop them: for it is such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.' (Mt 19:14)

"Loving God, Jesus gathered your little ones in his arms and blessed them.

"In sadness and in the tragedy of this awful loss this past week, we offer before you those young lives lost as a consequence of human violence.

"We pray for the families whose children are no longer able to share life and joy with them.

"We mourn those other families also torn apart by the needless killing of that day.

"We stand alongside those whose grief is beyond our imagining.

"Holy and loving God, bring all consolation that can be brought to those most in need of your presence today, and never cease to make your presence real in their hour of need.

"And, dear God, be with us as we struggle with the mysteries of life and death; in our pain, bring your comfort and in our sorrow, bring your hope and your promise of a new life.

"All this we ask in your name and togethe we say, Amen."