On October 13, 2023, the Rev. John D. Rohrs, rector, sent a message to our email subscribers, which included the following words:
Like you, I have watched the news from the Holy Land with increasing levels of sorrow. Our hearts ache for the families of those who were kidnapped or who died in the horrific series of attacks last weekend. As war unfolds this week, our prayers are with all of the innocent people of that land who live in fear.
There are no easy answers and no simple prayers in the face of such suffering and in the context of a centuries-old conflict. St. Paul writes in his letter to the Romans that when prayer seems impossible or ineffectual, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us in sighs too deep for words. We pray for God’s reconciling Spirit to move swiftly in these harrowing days….
As always, we stand ready to talk with you if you would like to schedule a pastoral visit with a member of the clergy or staff.
May God’s peace which passes all understanding bless us and keep us, and may that same peace settle upon the hearts of the leaders and people of Israel, Gaza, and the surrounding region.
John’s sermon at the 8, 9, and 11:15 a.m. services addressed the crisis.