LCC K-9 Ministry Teams and Hearts of Mercy & Compassion Deploy to Mass Shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee
GIVE BELOW
Posted: Tuesday, April 4, 2023
LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Hope (Faith – Marietta, Georgia), Job (Christ the King – Memphis, Tennessee), Magdalene (Cornerstone – Carmel, Indiana), Mercy (Our Savior – Louisville, Kentucky), Naomi (Holy Cross – Indianapolis, Indiana), and Zillah (Immanuel – St. Charles, Missouri) deployed to Nashville, Tennessee, on Tuesday, March 28, after the horrific shooting at Covenant School that took the precious lives of Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs, William Kinney, all third-grade students; Cynthia Peak, teacher; Mike Hill, custodian; and Katherine Koonce Head of Covenant Elementary School. Families, friends, and community are heartbroken, with their lives forever changed.
The Comfort Dogs and their handlers spent each day being a loving, comforting, and calming presence in a community turned upside down by this tragic event. Parents, teachers, and children were the ones God called the LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs and handlers to serve in Nashville.
Parents and teachers are filled with worry for the children and what to do next as there is so much unknown and to process. The Comfort Dogs and their handlers service in Nashville was to listen, comfort, and love the hurting and afraid—a ministry of presence for those who are suffering and in need.
The Comfort Dogs and handlers spent time loving and caring for some of the Covenant School families. To see a smile from a child or parent was a beautiful gift. LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Hope, Job, Magdalene, Mercy, Naomi, and Zillah also visited the students and staff at Julia Green Elementary School, St. Paul’s Academy, and Our Savior Early Childhood Academy. The shooting was hard on the parents and staff as this was their home community, and so difficult to make sense of this horrible loss. To show them how much they are loved and seen was the mission of the LCC K-9 Comfort Dog teams.
Parents and teachers are filled with worry for the children and what to do next as there is so much unknown and to process. The Comfort Dogs and their handlers service in Nashville was to listen, comfort, and love the hurting and afraid—a ministry of presence for those who are suffering and in need.
The Comfort Dogs and handlers spent time loving and caring for some of the Covenant School families. To see a smile from a child or parent was a beautiful gift. LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Hope, Job, Magdalene, Mercy, Naomi, and Zillah also visited the students and staff at Julia Green Elementary School, St. Paul’s Academy, and Our Savior Early Childhood Academy. The shooting was hard on the parents and staff as this was their home community, and so difficult to make sense of this horrible loss. To show them how much they are loved and seen was the mission of the LCC K-9 Comfort Dog teams.
The LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs and their handlers made a special visit with the brave men and women that serve at the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, West Precinct. They were one law enforcement department responding to that tragic call. It was an honor to be with them and thank them for their service.
Conductor Andy Corum of the Brass Band of Nashville invited the LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs to their concert. Being with the people who attended this wonderful free community concert was a joy.
These tragic acts of violence remind us that we live in a lost and broken world. But as people of faith, we know that God so loves this broken world. He lights our way through the darkness and brings us together to share His mercy, compassion, and presence to those who are suffering and in need.
We keep close in prayer the parents, children, teachers, and Nashville community for God’s comfort, peace, and strength each day forward.
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God." (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
These tragic acts of violence remind us that we live in a lost and broken world. But as people of faith, we know that God so loves this broken world. He lights our way through the darkness and brings us together to share His mercy, compassion, and presence to those who are suffering and in need.
We keep close in prayer the parents, children, teachers, and Nashville community for God’s comfort, peace, and strength each day forward.
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God." (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
Posted: Tuesday, March 28, 2023
On Monday, March 27, three young students and three adults were killed and all those present were traumatized after a twenty-eight year old former student entered The Covenant School, an elementary school ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee, and began shooting until fatally wounded by Metro Nashville Police. We pray for and grieve with the families of those killed: students Evelyn Dieckhaus (9), Hallie Scruggs (9), William Kinney (9), and Cynthia Peak (61), Dr. Katherine Koonce (60) Head of School, and Mike Hill (61).
The same afternoon, Lutheran Church Charities was invited by Pastor Lane Reuter, senior pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church & Academy in Nashville, Tennessee, to bring the LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs and Hearts of Mercy & Compassion, Crosses for Losses, to the shocked and hurting community that has been greatly impacted by this horrific event.
On Monday, March 27, three young students and three adults were killed and all those present were traumatized after a twenty-eight year old former student entered The Covenant School, an elementary school ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee, and began shooting until fatally wounded by Metro Nashville Police. We pray for and grieve with the families of those killed: students Evelyn Dieckhaus (9), Hallie Scruggs (9), William Kinney (9), and Cynthia Peak (61), Dr. Katherine Koonce (60) Head of School, and Mike Hill (61).
The same afternoon, Lutheran Church Charities was invited by Pastor Lane Reuter, senior pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church & Academy in Nashville, Tennessee, to bring the LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs and Hearts of Mercy & Compassion, Crosses for Losses, to the shocked and hurting community that has been greatly impacted by this horrific event.
Bonnie Fear, LCC K-9 Crisis Response Coordinator, and the following LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry teams arrived today (Tuesday, March 28) to be with families, survivors, and all of the first responders who serve them:
LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Hope (Faith – Marietta, Georgia), Job (Christ the King – Memphis, Tennessee), Magdalene (Cornerstone – Carmel, Indiana), Mercy (Our Savior – Louisville, Kentucky), Naomi (Holy Cross – Indianapolis, Indiana), and Zillah (Immanuel – St. Charles, Missouri) and their handlers are present to listen to those who are grieving, bringing them comfort, love, friendship, hope and prayer. The hearts/crosses have been placed at the designated memorial site for people to sign and leave condolence messages, pray, and pay their respects in honor of the six lives lost.
LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Hope (Faith – Marietta, Georgia), Job (Christ the King – Memphis, Tennessee), Magdalene (Cornerstone – Carmel, Indiana), Mercy (Our Savior – Louisville, Kentucky), Naomi (Holy Cross – Indianapolis, Indiana), and Zillah (Immanuel – St. Charles, Missouri) and their handlers are present to listen to those who are grieving, bringing them comfort, love, friendship, hope and prayer. The hearts/crosses have been placed at the designated memorial site for people to sign and leave condolence messages, pray, and pay their respects in honor of the six lives lost.
Please join LCC as we pray for The Covenant School community during this incredibly difficult time and for all of the first responders who heroically responded to a very difficult scene.
LCC's K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry and Hearts of Mercy & Compassion Ministry never charge those we serve as we bring the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need. We know that comfort is needed to help this shocked and devastated community and the first responders who serve them.
LCC's K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry and Hearts of Mercy & Compassion Ministry never charge those we serve as we bring the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need. We know that comfort is needed to help this shocked and devastated community and the first responders who serve them.
Please support us by prayer and if you are so moved, help us with travel expenses.
Thank you for being a part of the Mercy and Compassion Ministry of Lutheran Church Charities.
Serving Together in the Comfort of Jesus!
Thank you for being a part of the Mercy and Compassion Ministry of Lutheran Church Charities.
Serving Together in the Comfort of Jesus!
Rev. Chris Singer
President/CEO
Lutheran Church Charities
President/CEO
Lutheran Church Charities
Posted: Tuesday, March 28, 2023