Denomination leaders and other evangelical groups are offering assistance in wake of the deadly shooting.
QUICK FACTS:
- Faith leaders are sending counseling resources and Chaplins to Texas in the wake of the horrific shooting at a Uvalde, Texas school, according to CBN News.
- Robb Elementary School was the scene of the most deadly school shooting in almost a decade where 19 students and two teachers lost their lives when an active shooter killed 3rd and 4th graders.
- “My heart is broken today. We’re a small community and we’re going to need your prayers to get through this,” Uvalde Superintendent Hal Harrell said. All school activities on the campus have been canceled until further notice.
GROUPS SENDING HELP TO TEXAS:
- The Southern Baptists of Texas Convention responded to the tragedy by sending ministers to South Texas in an effort to offer comfort to the grieving community: “Please stop and pray for those in Uvalde, Texas,” SBTC Executive Director Nathan Lorick tweeted Tuesday evening. “We have been in touch with SBTC pastors on the ground. This is tragic and this community needs our prayers.”
- Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (BG-RRT) also set out to Uvalde to counsel families and residents as they cope with their new reality: “As a father of four young children, my heart is heavy to hear about this tragic mass shooting at an elementary school,” said Josh Holland, international director of the BG-RRT. “We are sending our crisis-trained chaplains to comfort people, listen and cry with them, pray with them and share God’s love with those who have been impacted by this horrific tragedy.”
- The Baptist Standard reported that the organization Texas Baptist Men have also sent faith representatives to the community: “We grieve what happened today,” Mickey Lenamon, TBM executive director/CEO, said. “This tragedy is impacting every member of the Uvalde community right now. Please pray for the city during this extremely difficult time. Our chaplains will offer a shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen, an encouraging word, and an offer of prayer,” Lenamon said. “They serve as a reminder to the community that people care about them and God cares about them.”
BACKGROUND:
- Uvalde is located about 85 miles west of San Antonio, Texas and has a population of about 16,000 people. The Tuesday tragedy marked the second most deadly shooting in U.S. history after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, which left 28 dead and wounded two more.
- CBN News offers resources for those needing to work through troubling issues like those mentioned above by offering a 24/7 prayer line.
- Those looking to speak to someone can call (800) 700-7000 or request prayer here.
