UUA Response to Knoxville Shootings
(11:00 P.M., July 29, 2008)

At 7:30 P.M. on July 28, the greater Knoxville community gathered at Second Presbyterian Church, adjacent to the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, for a service of memory and healing.  The service participants included Rev. Mitra Jafarzadeh from the Westside Unitarian Universalist Fellowship; Rev. Chris Buice from the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship; Rev. Rosemary Bray McNatt of the Unitarian Universalist Trauma Relief Ministry; and Rev. William G. Sinkford, UUA President.

During the service Sinkford said, “This gathering is a hopeful gathering …even though it’s in the midst of tragedy… Because this gathering represents our greatest hope. There is no capacity that we need more than the ability to come together as people of faith across the boundaries of theology and liturgy and practice that we are so often told must keep us apart. There is no capacity that is more important than for us to be able to be here tonight, together as one community.”  The complete text of Sinkford’s remarks is now available online at http://www.uua.org/news/newssubmissions/117463.shtml .  A reflection from Thomas Jefferson District Executive Annette Marquis, including an account of the vigil, is at http://www.uua.org/news/newssubmissions/117445.shtml . 

The newly-launched Knoxville Relief Fund seeks your donations to bring aid to those in Knoxville who have been directly affected by the July 27 shootings.  To donate online or by mail, visit http://www.uua.org/giving/donatenow/117168.shtml .

Information on vigils and services of support and remembrance for the victims of the Knoxville shootings continues to be gathered and posted at http://www.uua.org/news/newssubmissions/117287.shtml .  If you have information to share about such an event, please email mailto:websubmissions@uua.org .  Messages of support and condolence for the members of the Knoxville congregations continue to be welcome at the UUA's "Supporting Our Friends in Knoxville" blog site, http://knoxvillesupport.blogspot.com/ . 

Additional information on the Unitarian Universalist response to the Knoxville shootings will be posted on UUA.org at http://www.uua.org/news/newssubmissions/117156.shtm. 

The new New England District Board, June 2008
(Click image for larger version and caption)