Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (John 14:27)
“Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity.”
"The Healing of Orlando"
The weekend of June 10, 2016 was a difficult one for Orlando. On that Friday night, singer Christina Grimmie was killed after a concert at The Plaza Live. The following night, 49 people were murdered at the Pulse nightclub. A couple days later, two-year-old Lane Graves was killed by an alligator while on property with his family at a Disney resort.
In the days and weeks following these tragic events, the family of LBC gathered in prayer, moved forward in generosity and sought to serve those affected by these deaths. But the grief remains for the family and friends of those whose lives were lost and the road to recovery still exists for many of those injured.
Sadly, the aftermath of the Pulse shootings displayed a fractured relationship between our churches and the LGBTQ community, not only in Orlando but throughout our country. As a church, we have sought to reach out in love and compassion to those affected by these shootings. I believe that God is calling us to continue to live out the belief that the gospel is “good news for our city.”
As followers of Christ, we believe that it is only the Great Physician that can bring ultimate healing to the people of Orlando and to our great city. Let’s pray to that end.
How to pray...
- Pray that we will “weep with those who weep” and “mourn with those who mourn.” Pray that we would allow ourselves to grieve these senseless tragedies.
- Pray that we would look for opportunities to provide a listening ear and non-judgmental conversation for those who have had negative experiences with the Church.
- Pray that LBC would continue to be a church marked by an Outward Focus and a Gospel Culture. Pray that we would be welcoming to all those that God might allow to cross our paths.
- Pray that God would heal our city through the power of the gospel. Ask God to open the hearts of people to the gospel. Pray that Christians would represent Christ well to those who appear to be without hope.
For the Family
- Share with each other a time when you were really hurt or upset. Did you learn anything during that time?
- We live in a beautiful world but it is full of pain and challenges. What does injustice mean? Are there things that seem unjust to you in our world?
- Do you know someone who is going through a hard time? Maybe a friend at school or church or a neighbor? Pray for them and brainstorm ways that you can be beside them in their pain.
Contributors
"The Healing of Orlando" - Scott Crocker
Scott Crocker is the Chief of Staff for Ethnic Field Ministry, a ministry of Cru committed to seeing spiritual movements launched among ethnic minority students and faculty throughout the world. His family attends Lake Baldwin Church, where Scott serves as a deacon and leads the church’s mercy ministry to those in need. In his free time, he is a diehard fan of the Michigan Wolverines & Detroit Tigers and has coached youth basketball and football since high school. An avid reader, he particularly enjoys biographies and books about culture and American history. Scott and his wife, Lori, have four children and live in Orlando, Florida
"For the Family" - Michelle Crouse
Michelle Crouse has served as the director of LBC's children's ministry—SPLASH Kids—since the end of 2011. She and her husband Joshua were married in 2002 and have 2 children. Michelle grew up outside of Boston and graduated from James Madison University in Virginia with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She loves being with kids and loves the opportunity to be a part of teaching children how much they are loved by God, and helping them grow in their understanding of what that means.