April 16, 2007; Virginia Tech; and the UUC

The tragic events of April 16 have touched our Unitarian Universalist Congregation deeply, and in some cases personally. The proximity of the Virginia Tech Campus to our town of Blacksburg is that it physically abuts our main streets. Many of our congregants work in the University and have suffered losses of colleagues and students. We are grateful that none of our congregants have lost their lives.

We are undergirded in this difficult time by an upwelling of support from the District and national offices, and since our minister, Rev. Christine Brownlie is presently on sabbatical leave, we are profoundly grateful. District Executive Annette Marquis and Rev. Jeanne Pupke of Richmond drove here immediately, each from several hours away. Contacts from other UU Congregations have included inquiries as to how they might possibly help us. Reverends Karen Day and Don Johnson who are serving us in the pulpit during the sabbatical period add further professional resources. In short, we are enveloped in loving care beyond measure.

We are devising times, places and ways to support each other during this period. Rev. Pupke reminded us early on that the emotions we experience could change from day to day, and therefore we need to attend to ourselves, and to each other, in an on-going time frame.

We thank the larger UU community for their wishes of support and are grateful to be in association with a faith rooted in care.

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