Remember our Virginia Tech family
District roundup

Abingdon: After the Virginia Tech shooting, Emory & Henry's counseling office learned that Blacksburg was depleted of candles for candlelight vigils. The counseling office led a campus-wide collection of tea candles, to which several Holston churches contributed. Chaplain Tim Kobler also assisted with the counseling of students. "At first it was an overwhelming sense of fear and dread because they had not heard from some of their friends at Virginia Tech," says Kobler. "Later it was because, indeed, some of their friends had been killed."

Big Stone Gap: The Rev. Betty Sue Marshall is pastor of Sugar Run Circuit. The Rev. Jim Marshall is pastor of Three Bells/Horton's Chapel UMC. Their daughter, Melethia Horton, is a clinical pharmacist at Montgomery County Hospital, where the most critically injured shooting victims were treated. "She was on duty in August 2006, when a prisoner escaped and shot and killed the hospital's security guard and a police officer," her mother explains. On April 16, when the Tech shootings occurred, Melethia was assigned to the ICU unit to dispense medications and write medical reports. As a Tech grad, Melethia is still "greatly affected" by both shootings. Her mother requests prayers.

Chattanooga: Christ UMC held a prayer service on April 18. The community was invited through the church sign, the church Web site, and radio and TV announcements. About 170 attended, including 60 who were not church members. "We will be praying not only for our own comfort in this time of national tragedy," the Web site stated, "but that God will sustain the family and friends of those intimately involved in the shootings."

Cleveland: A Tennessee Wesleyan College sorority galvanized others to offer online condolences to those affected by the Tech tragedy. Less than two days after the TWC chapter of Sigma Kappa began a Facebook.com page, more than 700 members joined. The online medium allowed one of the nation's smallest Sigma Kappa chapters, with 22 members, to reach out to 150,000 members nationwide, according to the Daily Post Athenian.

Johnson City: Send news and photos to: Editor, The Call, P.O. Box 850, Alcoa, TN 37701- 0850, fax (865) 690-3162, thecall@holston.org.

Kingsport:In October 2006, First Broad Street UMC began a prayer shawl ministry with eight women. Today, the ministry is 30 members strong, producing shawls and blankets for those experiencing loss in their lives. After the Tech shootings, the Stitch and Pray Ministry quickly sent six prayer shawls and blankets to the VT counseling center to distribute to students.

Knoxville: By chance, the Higher Education and Campus Ministry Committee at Church Street UMC met on the evening of April 17, one day after the massacre. "We have to do something," the committee members said. They quickly decided to cut a $500 check for the Wesley Foundation at Virginia Tech. They sent the check with the Rev. William Fowler, who was planning a visit to his nephew, a Tech professor. Fowler hand-delivered the check to the Wesley Foundation on April 18. The funds were used to provide food and comfort for students seeking community at the VT Wesley Foundation, according to the Rev. Rick Isbell, Church Street Director of Program Ministries.

Maryville: Hiwassee College had a candlelight vigil for the victims - attended by students, faculty, and the community - on Wednesday, April 18. Chaplain Eric Doolittle reports that there were 33 participants, the same number of deaths caused by the tragedy.

Morristown: Pruitt Hill/ Tate Chapel UMC collected about 150 candles, which they will ship to the Virginia Tech Wesley Foundation. The congregations have also prepared a "letter of concern," letting the Wesley Foundation know they understand the long-term effects of tragedy, following Tate Chapel's fire in October 2006.

Oak Ridge: Margaret Morris is a member of Farragut UMC and also, a freshman at Virginia Tech. She was safe in her dorm during the shootings, although her parents promptly came to Blacksburg to attend the campus convocation and to take their daughter home for a few days. First Farragut held an April 18 prayer service and sent cards to the VT Wesley Foundation. The church also used Psalm 63 as a "starting point" to help highschoolers talk about the situation, according to Associate Pastor Betty Furches.

Tazewell: Following the April 22 worship service, the congregation at First Pearisburg UMC released 33 Hokiecolor themed balloons into the sky.

Wytheville: During an April 17 prayer service at Dublin UMC, a woman walked in and gave her testimony. "I was led here tonight," she said, "because the Lord does work in mysterious ways." She explained that she had "cried all day" because her Virginia Tech daughter was safe after missing a class located near the shootings. The woman later said that she wasn't a church member, but a Dublin resident who was suffering through her husband's illness and hospitalization. She came to the church after reading about the special service in the newspaper. "I thank you for this opportunity to be here," she told the congregation. "The Lord needs to be praised. Allelulia."

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