Presiding Bishop speaks on Texas church shooting

'We pray for those who suffer and for those who have died'

Posted Nov 6, 2017

[Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs] “I offer this prayer for those who have died, for those who are suffering, for those who are still healing from physical wounds, and the emotional, spiritual and mental scar,” Presiding Bishop Michael B. Curry stated following the Nov. 5 shooting at the First Baptist Church, Sutherland Springs, Texas. “We pray for those who suffer and for those who have died. Will you pray with me?”

Curry offered his comments during a visit to the Scottish Episcopal Church in Aberdeen, Scotland. The text follows:

“I’m in Aberdeen, Scotland, where last night we had a service at St. Andrew’s Cathedral, giving God thanks for the deep roots of the Episcopal Church here in the Scottish Episcopal Church. The Scottish Episcopal Church is indeed the mother church of the Episcopal Church, and we give thanks for the ties that bind us together.

“But even as we gave thanks last evening, we received word that in Sutherland Springs, Texas, a gunman entered the First Baptist Church, and now some 26 people have been killed and many more wounded and afflicted. I offer this prayer for those who have died, for those who are suffering, for those who are still healing from physical wounds, and the emotional, spiritual and mental scars. As I pray and invite you to pray the prayer the Lord taught us. I invite you to pray that God’s will might be done, that God might guide us to find a better way, to find concrete steps so that this kind of thing doesn’t happen anymore. But above all, we pray for those who suffer and for those who have died. Will you pray with me?

“Our Father, Who art in heaven
Hallowed be Thy Name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
The power and the glory,
For ever and ever. Amen.

“The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon you and give us all his peace this day and forevermore. Amen.”

The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry
Presiding Bishop and Primate
The Episcopal Church


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Comments (12)

  1. Robert Publicover says:

    Thank you for you for your prayers, words of wisdom and healing.

  2. Phil Swank says:

    That’s all??? More thoughts and prayers from the church leaders as Christ pleads with you, His precious religious child, to protect His precious innocent children from guns.

  3. Douglas Carpenter says:

    What a blessing to have Michael Curry as our Presiding Bishop during these very difficult days.-

  4. Marilyn Schantz says:

    We are so blessed to have Bishop Curry.

    God Bless You!

  5. Canon Stanley F. Imboden says:

    Thank you, Presiding Bishop Michael for your very pastoral, rather than a political, statement at this time of sorrowing for those sisters and brothers in Texas. We pray with you. Love you. Stan I.

  6. Abi John says:

    The body of Christ is tortured but faith in the crucified Jesus promises a transformation of hatred hearts towards a peaceful society. Maranatha, Come oh Lord! Gives us the strength to endure evil by doing Good.

  7. Stephen brock says:

    I respectfully suggest that instead of offering prayer, the Episcopal church offer up political will. It is past time for all leaders of the faith community to put pressure on elected officials to work towards a real solution to a problem that is killing thousands of Americans a years. It is past time for all faith leaders to speak out. Stand up to the NRA, the Tea Party, the false god called the second amendment. Please do something real, something that will truly honor God instead asking him to solve a problem created by man.

  8. Alice Kohler says:

    Amen!

  9. Swede Nelson says:

    Lord, remind us to never replace the power of prayer with useless political will!

  10. Eric Everhard says:

    There needs to be a line drawn there is a human problem with men and there sadistic violence there needs to be a real investment in time and education to preventing this learned behavior. if the Anglican Church just sits on the fence and allows boys to grow up and become men without empathy in this time of automation and loss of community there will not be a safe place.

  11. Eric Everhard says:

    Love

  12. Paula Oronson says:

    Thank you for leading us in prayer at this difficult time.

Comments are closed.