Pastoral Response to Tragedy in Sutherland Springs, Texas
Dear church family, As I am sure most of you have heard the news, a shooting took place at a church much like our own in Sutherland Springs, Texas. These tragedies that seem to be occurring more and more frequently are heart-breaking. This one stands out because we can identify as a community. As a pastor, I think about Pastor Frank Pomeroy and what it must have been like for him to receive the news that not only did his daughter die, but his associate pastor, and many of his flock. Based upon video footage from their worship services it appears that he cares deeply for his congregation and I suspect, although it hasn’t been confirmed, that at one point he also cared deeply for Devin, the shooter. And I wonder how a man of such commitment will respond to such tragedy. And I am reminded of the story of Job, likely the oldest recorded story of the Bible. Job was a man who received news that his children had been killed, his workers killed, and his livelihood destroy...