St. Philip’s Compassion and Care for Uvalde

Grace and peace to you,

In the wake of our enormous tragedy, our grief has a way of leaving us feeling helpless, yet longing to reach out and help in some way. We have had an outpouring from all over the world calling to offer assistance and support. The outpouring of love and support from The Episcopal Church, our Diocesan family, the community of Uvalde, friends, family, and strangers has been overwhelming. As things unfold and we find our way forward we will have a lot to do to help heal this community. At this time we offer the following as ways to show our love and support for the families affected by this tragedy in our community.

A Service of Evening Prayer: Lament and Hope, Light in the Darkness
We will gather tomorrow as a community for A Service of Evening Prayer: Lament and Hope, Light in the Darkness. The service will begin at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday in the sanctuary. Please join us as we pray for all who have been affected by this tragedy. The bulletin for this liturgy can be downloaded here. 

Our Bishops’ Responses to the Uvalde Gun Violence
Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and Bishop Reed have offered prayerful and practical responses to the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.

• Bishop Curry shares prayers after Texas school shooting – Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael Curry led a prayer live on social media Tuesday evening following the shooting in Uvalde.. He shared a prayer adapted from Bishops United Against Gun Violence, as well as prayers from the Book of Common Prayer. You can watch the recording of Bishop Curry’s prayer here.
• The Rt. Rev. David Reed, Bishop of West Texas, offered a reflection and call to prayer in response to the school shooting in Uvalde. Bishop Reed writes, “Because I believe in eternal life, I trust that the senseless murder of these innocent children is not the final thing to be said about them. If the Gospel is true, it is true in all times and in all places, including in Uvalde tonight. If God is with us, then he is with us even in those times and places where it seems that death and darkness have prevailed.” Read his full letter and reflection at dwtx.org/blog/prayers-for-uvalde.

How can I help at this time? 

• Prayers
• Monetary Donations If you, or someone you know, would like to donate to St. Philip’s “Robb/Uvalde Outreach Fund,” here are three ways:
  • Online Giving
    https://stphilipsuvalde.breezechms.com/give/online
    Use the dropdown arrow on the right to designate your donation for “Robb/Uvalde Outreach Fund.”
  • Text Giving
    Text the amount and “Uvalde” to 830-240-2070.
    For example: text “$50 Uvalde” –  please be sure to include the notation of “Uvalde” after the amount.
  • Giving by Mail
    Make checks payable to “St. Philip’s Episcopal Church” with a notation of “Robb/Uvalde Outreach,” and mail to:

  St. Philip’s Episcopal Church
  343 North Getty
  Uvalde, TX 78801

  We are grateful for your prayers, presence, and support. Thank you again for your compassion for all those affected by this tragedy.

• Bell Ringing – Each day at noon for 22 days we will pause to remember and reflect on the lives lost and pray for the City of Uvalde. The bell will toll 22 times for the lives lost in our community and our world.
• Luminarias – We will offer the gift of light to the community of Uvalde. Each evening for the next 22 days we will light 22 luminarias in front of the church to remember and pray for those whose lives were lost yesterday.

What happens next?
After the media and support organizations have departed from Uvalde in the coming days and weeks, the need for support will still be here. We are currently working on organizing a few projects that will be helpful in healing our community as we move forward. As these projects are developed, we will provide you with ongoing opportunities for you to offer your love and support.

Visit with Fr. Mike
Please contact Fr. Mike if you would like to talk with him about what has happened and how you are feeling. Please encourage others to do so if you think it might benefit them.

Thank you for stepping into the aftermath of this tragedy with your light, love, compassion, hope, and prayers.