The Fayette Citizen-News Page
Sunday, April 25, 1999
Churches remember Colorado youth

Pastors offering help for members troubled by shooting

By PAT NEWMAN
Staff Writer

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Prayers and condolences go out to the survivors and the families of the slain students and sole teacher in Littleton ,Colo. today, as local congregations gather for Sunday worship and stop to remember the tragedy that occurred Tuesday at Columbine High School.

With televised pictures fixed in their memory of students running for their lives, and groups of parents huddled in fear, congregations will hear messages of hope and salvation from pastors who are trying to help their members navigate in a world steeped in senseless violence.

Pastor Justin Kollmeyer, of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, said he would "have a special, very small memorial in the service, a time for special prayer, for those who lost their lives. Our thoughts and prayers are with the fallen in Colorado."

"On a local level, we will be dealing with our own grief and fears," he said. "We live in a fallen world, with components of evil and lawlessness, and the horrible things humans can bring."

The actions of the past week "should bring us to our knees in confession" in order to bring us His hope, Kollmeyer said. With an active youth group already in place, Kollmeyer said the events of the past week, "gives me more resolve than ever to be in ministry to children and young people." "We have a big youth program, and we're blessed by it."

Members of New Hope Baptist Church had an opportunity to deal with the week's crisis Wednesday evening during their discipleship meeting. Associate Pastor Barry Thompson said the youth ministers "let the kids talk and express their feelings." One interesting fact that came out was the similarities between Fayetteville and Littleton.

"Fayetteville is not that different," Thompson said, noting the big high school, the nice houses, the clean-faced students dressed like any teen in Fayette County. Many of the students questioned why God would let this happen.

"God's divine will rules in heaven, God's permissive will rules on earth," Thompson explained. "Sunday will be a time of praying about this and praying for our nation."

He also recalled a phone call he received last week from a mother who said her first grader feared going to school because the "bad people might shoot me." He assured the mother that sending her daughter to school would keep her fears from escalating. "I believe the schools know how to deal with it," he told her.

With the mother starting to cry, Thompson said, "There's no way to be truly safe." But, he added, there are ways to help children become more resilient and avoid making mistakes. Thompson said young families need to learn how to control the influence the media has on young people, citing the violence shown in many TV shows, movies and video games.

Recognize the influence peer groups have on your child, he said, and teach them how to deal with crisis.


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