April 20, 2007

FLUSHING, NY – Pastors and members of the Council of Korean Churches of Greater New York met for a special Memorial Prayer Service Thursday evening for the victims and families of the massacre on the campus of Virginia Tech. The service was held at the Hyo Shin Bible Presbyterian Church, Flushing.

The homily was preached by Rev. Moon, the new pastor of the Hyo Shin Church, as other clergy brought Memorial messages. Scriptures were read and many prayers were offered as the Korean community feels anguish for the violence committed by a Korean-American student.

The Rev. N. J. L'Heureux, Jr., Executive Director of the Queens Federation of Churches, spoke and assured them: "I am mindful of your concerns and special identification with this act of wanton mayhem by reason of nationality or ethnicity. But let me affirm as strongly as I can, that our identity together as human beings – and, thus, as children of the one Creator God – places no one nearer or further in relationship to the one who caused this terrible, terrible suffering."

He also called for stronger leadership to move away from violence: "We pray in this place especially for the courage to declare to those responsible for the law of the land that they take effective steps to stop violence and the easy access to weapons that extend the violence in every aspect of life. We ask our leaders to lead by example and end the cruelty of war and of torture."

Queens Federation of Churches
Pastor L'Heureux's statement is posted on the QFC Website.