We continue our reflection on God’s call to us through the ELCA’s “60-Day Journey Toward Justice in a Culture of Gun Violence.”
DAY 58: Maryland Church Visibly Recognizes Gun Violence Victims, Remembers with Communion
“A Maryland United Church of Christ congregation celebrated communion outdoors on Sunday, [March 24, 2019] in the midst of a haunting reminder of the human cost of gun violence.
“A memorial of 120 T-shirts, planted in the lawn outside Westmoreland Congregational United Church of Christ in Bethesda, each bearing the name of a person killed by gun violence in the Washington, D.C. area during the first part of last year. White shirts, each [of] which marks a life lost, with ages and death dates.
“‘Celebrating communion outside amid the shirts helped us visibly remember those whose lives have been lost,’ said the Rev. Timothy Tutt, church pastor. ‘Communion is a reminder that God is with us—feeding us when our souls are hungry and quenching the thirst of our grief—even amid pain. The cup also nurtures us and offers us sustenance to go forth in the world to work for peace and justice.’”
Read the entire story in the online United Church of Christ News. The United Church of Christ is a full communion partner of the ELCA.