‘We forgive you’ is Amish message to school killer’s father

-05/10/06

n Amish neighb


‘We forgive you’ is Amish message to school killer’s father

-05/10/06

n Amish neighbour of the family of Carl Roberts, who killed five girls and wounded other children in a brutal shooting at a school in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, has embraced the manís father and said: ìWe will forgive youî.

The five girls ñ Naomi Rose Ebersol, Anna Mae Stoltzfus, Marian Fisher and sisters Mary Liz and Lena Miller ñ were shot after Roberts broke into the Nickel Mine Amish Schoolhouse in Georgetown.

The Rev Dwight Lefever, a friend of the Roberts family who is giving pastoral support to them during their crisis, talked of standing with them in the kitchen. ìGod met us in that kitchen,î he said.

While he was there, reports Lancaster Online, an Amish neighbour came to the house and wrapped his arms around the father of the dead gunman. ìWe will forgive you,î the man said.

More than 1,000 mourners attended a prayer vigil at The Worship Centre on Tuesday. In an emotional service, members of the local community prayed that hope, peace and transformation would come out of the tragic event ñ and ìlet the transformation begin with us,î said the Rev Duane Britton.

Among those present was Naomi Glick of Leola, a cousin of three of the boys Charles Carl Roberts IV sent running from the school Monday morning before he shot 10 female students, killing five and seriously injuring another five. Police say the gunman shot himself to death moments later.

A community prayer service for the victims of Mondayís Amish school shooting was held at the Lordís House of Prayer, Quarryville, last night.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the American Baptist and Mennonite service organisations re among those who have pledged practical support

The Most Rev Kevin C. Rhoades, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg, PA, will celebrate a requiem Mass at St Catherine of Siena Catholic Church tonight (5 September 2006).

Mennonite Central Committee and Mennonite Disaster Service are accepting financial contributions to assist the affected community. Contributions may be made by phone, by mail or online. Contributions to the Amish School Recovery Fund will help the affected community with medical care, transportation, supportive care and other needs.

Two years ago, Coatesville Savings Bank opened a branch office in the village of Georgetown, approximately one mile from the Nickel Mine Amish School. The Board of Trustees and the staff of CSBank have established a fund ìfor all necessary help and solace for the bereaved.î

Donations can be mailed to: Nickel Mines Children’s Fund, Coatesville Savings Bank,
1082 Georgetown Road, Paradise, PA 17562, USA. Also to the Roberts Family Fund at the same address.

[Also on Ekklesia: Mennonites offer support to ‘resilient’ Amish community 04/10/06; Amish sustained by forgiveness after killings 04/10/06; Peaceful Amish shocked by brutal school shooting 03/10/06. Resources on the Amish from Metanoia Books, an Ekklesia partner: Who Are the Anabaptists: Amish, Brethren, Hutterites and Mennonite groups; Best of Amish Cooking: Spiral Binding ó Phyllis Pellman Good; Driving the Amish ó Jim Butterfield; Delicious Amish Recipes ó Phyllis Pellman Good; Countryside Cooking and Chatting: Traditional Recipes from the Old Order Mennonites and Amish; Amish Life ó John A Hostetler; Plain and Amish: An Alternative to Modern Pessimism; Real People: Amish and Mennonites in Lancaster County; Amish Roots: A Treasury of History, Wisdom, and Lore; An Amish Kitchen ó Mary Clemens Meyer (Ed.); Amish Portrait: Song of a People ó Merle Good; History of the Amish: Revised Edition 2003 ó Steven M Nolt; 20 Most Asked Questions About the Amish and Mennonites; Amish and the State ó Donald B Kraybill (Ed.); Amish get politically active to defend wood shops – news from Ekklesia; Fixing Tradition: Joseph W Yoder, Amish American ó Julia Kasdorf; The Amish In Their Own Words: Amish Writings]


‘We forgive you’ is Amish message to school killer’s father

-05/10/06

n Amish neighbour of the family of Carl Roberts, who killed five girls and wounded other children in a brutal shooting at a school in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, has embraced the manís father and said: ìWe will forgive youî.

The five girls ñ Naomi Rose Ebersol, Anna Mae Stoltzfus, Marian Fisher and sisters Mary Liz and Lena Miller ñ were shot after Roberts broke into the Nickel Mine Amish Schoolhouse in Georgetown.

The Rev Dwight Lefever, a friend of the Roberts family who is giving pastoral support to them during their crisis, talked of standing with them in the kitchen. ìGod met us in that kitchen,î he said.

While he was there, reports Lancaster Online, an Amish neighbour came to the house and wrapped his arms around the father of the dead gunman. ìWe will forgive you,î the man said.

More than 1,000 mourners attended a prayer vigil at The Worship Centre on Tuesday. In an emotional service, members of the local community prayed that hope, peace and transformation would come out of the tragic event ñ and ìlet the transformation begin with us,î said the Rev Duane Britton.

Among those present was Naomi Glick of Leola, a cousin of three of the boys Charles Carl Roberts IV sent running from the school Monday morning before he shot 10 female students, killing five and seriously injuring another five. Police say the gunman shot himself to death moments later.

A community prayer service for the victims of Mondayís Amish school shooting was held at the Lordís House of Prayer, Quarryville, last night.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the American Baptist and Mennonite service organisations re among those who have pledged practical support

The Most Rev Kevin C. Rhoades, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg, PA, will celebrate a requiem Mass at St Catherine of Siena Catholic Church tonight (5 September 2006).

Mennonite Central Committee and Mennonite Disaster Service are accepting financial contributions to assist the affected community. Contributions may be made by phone, by mail or online. Contributions to the Amish School Recovery Fund will help the affected community with medical care, transportation, supportive care and other needs.

Two years ago, Coatesville Savings Bank opened a branch office in the village of Georgetown, approximately one mile from the Nickel Mine Amish School. The Board of Trustees and the staff of CSBank have established a fund ìfor all necessary help and solace for the bereaved.î

Donations can be mailed to: Nickel Mines Children’s Fund, Coatesville Savings Bank,
1082 Georgetown Road, Paradise, PA 17562, USA. Also to the Roberts Family Fund at the same address.

[Also on Ekklesia: Mennonites offer support to ‘resilient’ Amish community 04/10/06; Amish sustained by forgiveness after killings 04/10/06; Peaceful Amish shocked by brutal school shooting 03/10/06. Resources on the Amish from Metanoia Books, an Ekklesia partner: Who Are the Anabaptists: Amish, Brethren, Hutterites and Mennonite groups; Best of Amish Cooking: Spiral Binding ó Phyllis Pellman Good; Driving the Amish ó Jim Butterfield; Delicious Amish Recipes ó Phyllis Pellman Good; Countryside Cooking and Chatting: Traditional Recipes from the Old Order Mennonites and Amish; Amish Life ó John A Hostetler; Plain and Amish: An Alternative to Modern Pessimism; Real People: Amish and Mennonites in Lancaster County; Amish Roots: A Treasury of History, Wisdom, and Lore; An Amish Kitchen ó Mary Clemens Meyer (Ed.); Amish Portrait: Song of a People ó Merle Good; History of the Amish: Revised Edition 2003 ó Steven M Nolt; 20 Most Asked Questions About the Amish and Mennonites; Amish and the State ó Donald B Kraybill (Ed.); Amish get politically active to defend wood shops – news from Ekklesia; Fixing Tradition: Joseph W Yoder, Amish American ó Julia Kasdorf; The Amish In Their Own Words: Amish Writings]