A letter arrived in the mail today from Mayor Daley asking St. Luke’s to support the city in “educating our communities about the impact of gun violence, especially on our children.” His letter goes on to state that “firearm injuries are the second leading cause of injury-related deaths nationwide, surpassed only by motor vehicle injuries. From 1999 to 2005 alone, over 8,000 Illinois residents were killed by guns. Over 1,000 of these victims were children.”
As we gather for worship this Sunday, we’ll be joining with Lutheran congregations around the country for “Rachel’s Day.” First observed in 1994, Rachel’s Day commemorates the lives of children lost to violence in our neighborhoods and calls us to be a part of God’s healing and justice-making work on their behalf.
After worship we’ll hold our Sunday morning coffee hour upstairs in the Lesher Lounge to give people a chance to see the art installed by youth from Voice of the City in one of our classrooms honoring the lives of the 24 Chicago Public Schools students who have been killed this school year so far. Please join us for worship this Sunday, and invite someone who you know needs a chance to grieve or to mourn the omnipresent violence in our lives.
In Christ,
Pastor Erik
By Proclamation 