FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 3, 2022
Washington, DC – The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) announces that Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie, NCC Interim President and General Secretary, will be traveling to Uvalde, Texas, this Saturday to provide a ministry of presence to this community experiencing unspeakable tragedy following the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School, where 19 children and two teachers were murdered. There are also 17 other victims who were wounded in the shooting. Bishop McKenzie will attend the morning worship service at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church on Sunday, June 5, 2022.
“There are no words and when there are no words, the ministry of presence is needed,” explained Bishop McKenzie. “I will go and pray with and for church members and the community. I hope that my visit motivates people to give support to the families who are experiencing this tragedy and have immediate needs that are not being met as they wait for other funds to be distributed. As I go bearing gifts, I encourage others to give their gifts and send thoughts and prayers in a tangible way.”
“Thank you for reaching out to us,” responded Rev. Dr. Michael K. Marsh, rector of St. Philip’s. “We greatly appreciate your prayers and support. We welcome your presence with us in worship and prayer.”
The NCC released a statement on June 2 expressing the grief many in the nation feel at the loss of so many innocent lives. “There are no words sufficient for the horror of this act,” says the statement. It goes on to say, “We must act to stop this from ever happening again. It is sinful to offer thoughts and prayers without taking decisive action to reform gun legislation.”
The Episcopal Church is one of NCC’s member denominations. Bishop McKenzie’s visit to Uvalde comes just a week and a half following a trip to Buffalo, NY, where she met with families of those murdered at Tops Grocery Store, as well as churches, community groups and agencies providing help and support for that community following the massacre of 11 innocent people by a gunman who targeted them because they were Black.
For those who would like to know ways to support the families of the victims and the Uvalde community, a list of resources is below.
WAYS TO HELP UVALDE
FROM REV. DR. MARSH, ST PHILIP’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
While large amounts of money are being collected through various organizations and foundations it is not yet being released and some families need financial assistance now. St. Philip’s is collecting monetary donations to assist with those immediate financial needs. Here’s how churches can help:
Online Giving
https://stphilipsuvalde.breezechms.com/give/online Use the dropdown arrow on the right to designate that you would like your donation to go to “Robb/Uvalde Outreach Fund”
Text Giving
Text the amount and “Uvalde” to 830-240-2070. For example: text “$50 Uvalde” – please be sure to include the notation of “Uvalde” after the amount.
Giving by Mail
Make checks payable to “St. Philip’s Episcopal Church” with a notation of “Robb/Uvalde Outreach,” and mail to:
St. Philip’s Episcopal Church
343 North Getty
Uvalde, TX 78801
Purchase Gift Cards
Purchase a $100 or $50 Visa or Amex gift card and mail it to St. Philip’s at the address above.
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Serving as a leading voice of witness to the living Christ in the public square since 1950, the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) brings together 37 member communions, including The Episcopal Church, and more than 30 million Christians in a common commitment to God’s love and promise of unity.