Response to School Shootings

In the wake of yesterday’s school shooting (the 27th this year in our country) in Uvalde, Texas, we are once again heartbroken, angry, and we cannot begin to imagine what the victims and their loved ones are going through right now. Amidst the growing cries in our culture that “thoughts and prayers” are not enough, I do want to offer a few words of encouragement, and calls to action:

• Come pray with us tomorrow (Thursday, May 26) at 8:45 am in the Hunt Center. While we know that prayer on its own isn’t going to solve this crisis in our country, we hold fast to the words of Scripture, that “the prayers of the righteous availeth much.” (James 5:16)
• Go out of your way to express compassion to teachers, school administrators, safety officers, law enforcement, and first responders today.
• For parents agonizing over how to process the tragedy of school shootings with your children, you can find a very helpful resource at the link in our profile.
• Support incredible ministries like @dlftx who are pushing back against the powers of darkness and ushering in the kingdom of light. They are doing transformative work in the lives of the next generation in the Dallas area.
• Guided by your identity as a follower of Jesus, seek to engage with your elected officials and ask them to respond in ways you believe will make our communities safer for children, teachers, churchgoers, and grocery shoppers.
• If you, your child, or someone you love needs to process this traumatic news in a more intentional way, our Care team is here to help. We also offer on-site counseling and referrals to licensed counselors in our community and you can find those resources at hppres.org/care.

Finally, there is no better or more secure place to go in our confusion and sadness than to the words of Scripture, where we find comfort and truth that makes us strong. Let us anchor ourselves in the story of a God who is our fortress, an ever-present help in times of trouble. In a sense, that is what each of us are invited to do every Sunday when we gather for worship. We seek to find ourselves caught up in the story of God’s grace and sovereignty, even in a chaotic, fallen world.