Sacred Ground
On September 2, Westminster became the reunification site after a school shooting at Westwood Hills Elementary School. At 9:30 a.m., central office staff were sent to Westminster, where they greeted parents in the parking lot and had them complete reunification forms in the social hall. Parents stood shoulder to shoulder in the social hall as they waited to be reunited with their children.
At the same time, bus drivers unloaded children into the chapel by grade level. In a chapel built for a little over 100 people, the chapel became full of approximately 400 children. The younger grades sat on the carpeted floor, fourth graders sat on the steps, and fifth graders filled the stage. Forty teachers and support staff stood around the children, surrounding them with love and care.
The reunification process took about two hours. After all the children were reunited with their parents, the teachers remained in the chapel. A sigh of relief filled the room. The teachers could finally care for themselves. The assistant principal showered them with love and praise, reminding them that they had done everything right and encouraging them to let go of any thoughts that told them otherwise.
On Thursday, September 3, Westminster held a community Peace and Comfort service at 7:00 p.m. in the sanctuary. Local clergy led the service with Westminster music leadership. Westminster members provided hospitality, and additional clergy were present in the pews for prayer. Shortly after the service began, Mutts for the Mission arrived with two Labrador retrievers ready to bring comfort and care. Two Waynesboro police officers also arrived and stood at the back of the sanctuary and participated in the service.
A pastor from Bridgewater Presbyterian Church attended the service. She had been present during the Virginia Tech shootings and shared several resources, including the children’s book A Terrible Thing Happened by Margaret M. Holmes. The book provides an age-appropriate way for children to begin talking about a frightening experience and the feelings that can follow.
Very quickly, donations and conversations fell into place to offer a copy of this book to every Westwood student (405), along with additional copies for classrooms at the three additional Waynesboro elementary schools.
We ordered 500 copies of A Terrible Thing Happened. The publisher provided a 50% bulk-order discount because the books are being purchased for the school community. Members of Westminster and Stuarts Draft Elementary School students created bookmarks to accompany the books, each with artwork and words of encouragement.
Early on a Sunday morning, the Westminster Young Adult Class assembled the books and bookmarks for the schools. They placed a bookmark within every book with care, knowing very soon each book would be held by a very special child or kept in a very special classroom. Many thanks to the Christian Education Ministry for facilitating this mission project.
Towards the end of September, Westminster received a thank you banner from Westwood Elementary School and Waynesboro Public Schools. The vibrant colors offered a rainbow of gratitude. One person wrote: "You were exactly what God prepared in advance for the church to be... our safe place, our hide away, our refuge, our source of hope and strength! Thank you doesn't even seem to be enough!"
We continue to pray for Westwood Hills Elementary School, Waynesboro Public Schools, and the entire community. May peace, comfort, and love be with everyone during the healing process ahead.
Comments