Editor, Times-Union: Are you as frustrated with the violence and destructive behavior shown in our schools, churches and local communities lately as I am? Once again a madman walks into a building with guns ablaze, this time a church, and youth and adults are killed. Who can explain it? More importantly, what can we do about it?
I am convinced that we all need to get on our knees and pray. Granted, that is what these youth in church were doing when they were shot. Where was their protection? That's a tough question for even the most sophisticated theologians. But in spite of the tragedy to those individual families, I know those kids killed are now in heaven. And those families have the love and support of their church family, and Jesus' healing hand, to help them through this time.
The greater tragedy to me is the man that shot them, and then killed himself. Did anyone ever pray for him? Or more specifically, how do you reach the unreachable?
I believe the place to start is through prayer. It's not that hard to pray at home by yourself, or at church, but I believe it's time to move to the streets. It's time to shower our schools and communities with active, on-site prayer. Would you join me?
Our church has been prayerwalking different sights in the Warsaw area since April. This fall we have made a commitment to pray at each grade school, the middle schools and high school. We have already been to five schools, but would like to invite anyone from the community to join us for any of the rest. We will be prayerwalking at WCHS this Wednesday, Sept. 29, at 5:30 p.m. After this week at WCHS, we will be meeting Oct. 6 at Leesburg; Oct. 13 at Lincoln; Oct. 20 at Eisenhower; and Oct. 27 at Edgewood/Washington. All walks begin at 5:30 p.m. Jesus will answer even individual prayers, but sometimes there is more power in prayer when many gather in agreement. Prayerwalking is one way to effectively reach that goal.
We invite everyone to join us at Warsaw Community High School on Sept. 29 at 5:30 p.m. We will be prayerwalking around the outside of the building.
Prayerwalking is a simple but powerful way of walking and praying together. If you are uncomfortable with praying aloud, you can walk and silently pray. This is not meant to be openly demonstrative, but rather it is a way to spiritually and physically show our support and caring for our school and community.
We will meet at the pool parking area. Please try to join us, but if you can't be there, would you please pray for the students, teachers and workers from the high school at this time?
Cindy Gackenheimer, Walnut Creek UMC
Offensive Sign
Editor, Times-Union: As I drove through Warsaw tonight I was very offended by a sign I saw on Center Street. At the Pit Stop gas station the sign advertising their vacuums was very offensive. I don't know how others feel about what was being said on this public sign but my preference is not to use that kind of language and I don't feel that it ought to be shoved in my face because some one thought it was cute. If this is the kind of language people choose to use that is up to them but I should not have to read it on a public sign.
Deb Newswanger, via e-mail
No Charges
Editor, Times-Union: On March 29th of this year, about 7:30 a.m., our hearts stopped in Etna Green. We are a small town and our people are special to each of us.
This was the foggy morning that Jill Carpenter was killed by a very senseless accident. A trucker exceeding the speed limit and ignoring traffic lights and foggy conditions hit Jill from behind as she was stopped at a stoplight showing red.
There was even a state trooper there because of an earlier wreck. He was waving his arms for the trucker to stop. The trooper had to jump on his car to keep from being hit.
Why, after 6 months, hasn't our district attorney brought charges in this case?
Griffyn Carpenter, 7 years old, and his little brother Quentyn, 5, had birthdays this summer, one of many to come without their Mommy.
Now I ask, after 6 months and still no charges filed?
Elaine F. Fletcher, Etna Green
Theology
Editor, Times-Union: I appreciate reader Flores' comments on theology, but mostly because it gives me the opportunity to clear up a very common misconception.
Contrary to his understanding, there is only one way to get into the Heaven of the Bible. By first understanding that Heaven is a free gift that cannot be earned and is not deserved by anyone. Then by accepting that you are a sinner, by God's standards, and are not capable of saving yourself. However, God is merciful, and does not want to punish us, but God must punish sin because he is just and righteous.
God solved this problem for us by coming to earth in the form of a man, Jesus Christ, who died on the cross and rose from the dead to pay the penalty for all of our sins, and to purchase a place in Heaven for us. If we believe in our hearts that this is true and we believe it everyday, then we will have the gift of eternal life that we know as Heaven.
I believe it. From this belief will come the desire to work at being the kind of person God wants us to be. We will also find the desire to share this information with others. Not for the purpose of making them conform to a certain lifestyle, but to help them avoid eternal damnation in Hell (yep, I believe Hell is real too) and to receive the greatest gift any human can have, eternal life in Heaven with God.
