Mount Royal United Church

Message from Chair of Council April 26, 2020

The events of this past week have been horrifying to us all. How could such a thing happen, in Nova Scotia, of all places? We have heard of the murder of innocent people in Toronto when a van mowed down pedestrians on busy sidewalk, killing 10 and injuring 15 or, at Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal, when a gunman killed 10 women and injured 4 men. We want to believe that these things don't happen here; not so close to home.

Every person I have spoken to this past week is having a hard time processing why this senseless killing of so many people could have happened and what could have transpired to prevent a number of the deaths.

One of the first things I did after I heard the news was to say a prayer for the deceased and their families. They will have a lot of pain for a very long time. I was reminded, too, of how much sadness the accused's family must also be feeling. Just as it was starting to feel like some restrictions on social distancing might be in sight, the NS shootings made it clear that we would have to look elsewhere to find hope.

For many of us that hope comes from God and our Christian faith. Sometimes it seems like there are more questions than answers. We are fortunate that Rev. Stuart is with us at this challenging time to encourage us to help one another and to put our faith in God.

In times like this, it is all the more important to check in on your friends and family, share a smile or a kind gesture. We all need an extra dose of kindness this week.

Try to remember this little phrase when you need a bit of encouragement...

"There is not enough darkness in all the world to put out the light of one small candle."
-Robert Alden

Be safe this week. I look forward to seeing you all again very soon. In the meantime, send in your photos to share with your church family and "keep the faith."

Susan