Presiding Bishop Speaks Following Rally Shooting
The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, issued the following statement following the fatal shooting a presidential campaign rally outside Pittsburgh on July 13th.
At our worship on Sunday, July 14th, this statement was read during the announcements, followed with a rejoinder for all to pray for our nation and all impacted by this incident. Gun violence is a particular focus of our prayer and we all seek an increase of civil discourse and a dialing down of the harmful rhetoric which has created a dichotomy that tends to blur those things that we all share.
Joan also addressed the news of the week in her sermon: the brutal murder of a transgender teen, the closure and subsequent re-opening of the church-owned Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City, and yesterday’s shooting. The sermon will be posted later today.
The text of the first prayer by the Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston which Joan referenced in her sermon is as follows:
In the midst of chaos, I will be peace. In the heart of anger, I will be love. In the presence of despair, I will be hope. Those are my assignments. Not imposed on me, but taken up willingly as a witness to what I believe is true for all of us. The circle of life needs and deserves peace, love and hope. Our shared calling is to embody that grace, to live what we pray, to be the blessing we ask of others.
The Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston, retired bishop of Alaska, author and Choctaw elder
The second is this:
Release the unexpected , Spirit, and catch us all off guard with what we pray to see. Shake us free from our fear and dread. Help history take a sudden turn we never would’ve expected; a change for the better, a sign of hope, a moment when ustice leaves evil swinging in the air. We are doing all we can, Spirit, but we could use a few good surprises. Step into time and space, even if only for a heartbeat and let us stand in awe of Your great love
The Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston, retired bishop of Alaska, author and Choctaw elder