[Members] FW: Prayers for Moscow Idaho

[Rev. Christian Dominic Boyd]

See below and share with others.

Peace,
Christian

-----Original Message-----
From: Debbie Gardiner [mailto:dgardine at ctr.pcusa.org] 
Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2007 12:10 PM
Subject: Prayers for Moscow Idaho

May 22, 2007

Friends,

News of the shooting tragedy at the First Presbyterian Church of Moscow,
Idaho, gripped your our hearts, as we are sure it did yours. Late on
Saturday evening, a gunman shot and killed his wife at home, then went to
the city courthouse where he killed a police officer and wounded two
others. Early on Sunday morning, he retreated into the First Presbyterian
Church, where he found Paul Bauer, the church sexton, who lived in an
apartment on the church property. The gunman shot and killed Mr. Bauer in
the church office and then later took his own life in the sanctuary.

We cannot imagine the shock that greeted worshipers on Sunday morning when
they found their church building surrounded by the yellow tape of a crime
scene.  Our prayers go out to the community engulfed by violence. Our
brothers and sisters in Moscow, Idaho, do not stand alone to face these
events. 

Norman Fowler, pastor of First Presbyterian Church, with eighteen members
of the congregation had planned to leave on Monday morning to help with
Hurricane Katrina relief in Mississippi, but instead led the community in a
prayer service for Bauer and the other shooting victims, including the
gunman.

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and the Peacemaking Program have been
quick to reach out with offers of help. Presbyterian Disaster Assistance
reached out through the Presbytery of Inland Empire and through the
services of Mark White, a member of the National Response Team who lives in
Washington and has had previous contact with the presbytery. While the
presence of an onsite team member is not yet required, PDA has provided
material for the presbytery and pastor on traumatic stress and self-care. 

The Presbyterian Peacemaking Program also suggests that materials provided
during the days following the Virginia Tech shootings may be of use, with
minor modification for this community as it copes with the aftermath of
violence and the loss of a loved one.

For more information on these resources, visit www.pcusa.org/pda and
www.pcuse.org/peacemaking .

Please join us in keeping the members of First Presbyterian Church,
Moscow, Idaho, as well as the surrounding community, in your prayers.  If
you wish to send a message, you may address it to Rev. Norman Fowler, First
Presbyterian Church, 405 S. Van Buren, Moscow, Idaho, 83843.
  
In Christ,
Linda & Cliff 

Linda B. Valentine, Executive Director
Clifton Kirkpatrick, Stated Clerk 








_________________________________________________________________
Need personalized email and website? Look no further. It's easy
with Doteasy $0 Web Hosting! Learn more at www.doteasy.com