My friend and colleague the Rev. Millie Rochester is the associate minister at the Clearwater UU Congregation in Florida, where five members of her group are dead tonight after a murder/suicide that took the lives of two women partners and two children and the ex-husband of one of the women, a man who took his own life after killing the women and children.
I can't imagine what that must demand of Millie and her congregants. Please keep them in your hearts and prayers. Members of the UU Trauma Response team are in Florida with the congregation. The senior minister of the congregation, Abhi Janamanchi, is on sabbatical but will doubtless return to assist with care for the community.
Millie was the DRE at the Salem, Oregon, church for many years before studying for the ministry and ordination. She is well known in this district for her competence and cheerful nature.
How can these things be happening? There are no answers to that question that satisfy me these days.
3 comments:
I went to read the news stories - seemed eerily familiar in some places to an incident in my home community last spring/summer. You're right that there are no satisfactory answers. Praying for all involved...
Peace, EBS
There is never a good answer--not after my uncle killed my dad in a murder-suicide, not after Columbine, not after the church shootings here in Colorado, and not now. We understand God's grace when we have a need, but that doesn't make it easier to fathom. Peace be with you and with them all.
God bless them all. Like MHP said, there really aren't any answers, but everyone finds a few of his/her own in time. All those folks are in my thoughts and prayers.
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