Layers of Grief

Recent headlines have left many of us stunned and grieving. In only a matter of days, we’ve seen the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the brutal stabbing of Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte light rail train, and a school shooting in Colorado that left students injured. Today, we also remember the families who were affected by the tragedy of 9/11. The sheer violence is overwhelming, and it reminds us of the brokenness that surrounds us.

My wife and I have felt this pain on a personal level, as Erika Kirk was part of our church in NYC before she married Charlie. Our thoughts go to her as she grieves and navigates life as a widow with young children. And isn’t that the invitation for all of us? Not to let tragedy remain abstract or “someone else’s pain,” but to feel the weight of every life lost and every family grieving as if it were our own.

Every person is made in the image of God, endowed with dignity and worth. When violence takes a life, we all suffer the wound. And so, as followers of Jesus, we cannot retreat into numbness or treat these moments as distant stories. We must allow them to stir us to prayer, to compassion, and to courageous action as peacemakers in a broken world. This is no time for political posturing.

As the united Church in Columbus, let’s carry this burden together. Let’s pray for Erika Kirk and her family. Let’s pray for the families and students shaken by violence. Let’s pray for God to heal our nation, to soften our own hearts, and to help us embody His hope in our city.

May we never treat tragedy as someone else’s problem. May we bear one another’s burdens as Christ has borne ours. And may our unity as the Church become a living witness to the peace and hope that only Jesus can give.

Here is an adapted prayer from my colleague Gary Gaddini of Transforming the Bay with Christ:

Father, You are our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. You have entrusted the pastors and ministry leaders of our city to shepherd others across greater Columbus, and we ask that You would steady their hearts, strengthen their resolve, and remind them of Your unshakable Kingdom. When the ground shakes and fear rises, empower them to lead with courage, to model unity that transcends division, and to equip others to love as Christ loves. May their presence and faithfulness spark hope in their community. In Jesus’ name, Amen.