Unitarian Universalists Respond to Knoxville Shooting Disaster

July 29, 2008

(posted at 1:00 p.m.)

The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), in association with the UUA Thomas Jefferson District, has launched the Knoxville Relief Fund, to bring ministry, spiritual care, and practical financial assistance to those affected by the tragedy in Knoxville, Tennessee. Gifts to the fund will assist members of the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist (UU) Church and Westside Unitarian Universalist Fellowship and their loved ones, and will show them that they are not alone during this time of shock and grief.

Income from the Knoxville Relief Fund will go to the Thomas Jefferson District of the UUA to be used at their discretion to assist Tennessee Valley UU Church and Westside Unitarian Universalist Fellowship and their members. No more than 5% of the funds raised will be used to cover administrative costs, including fees for credit card processing, before being directed to the Thomas Jefferson District. For more information on the Knoxville Relief Fund, including a link for online donations, please visit UUA.org > Giving.

At 7:30 p.m. on July 28, the greater Knoxville community gathered at Second Presbyterian Church for a service of memory and healing. The service included participants from the Westside Unitarian Universalist Fellowship and the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship; Rev. Rosemary Bray McNatt of the Unitarian Universalist Trauma Relief Ministry and Rev. William G. Sinkford, UUA President, also participated in the service. A report on the worship service will be posted on UUA.org this afternoon and additional coverage on UUWorld.org will follow on Wednesday.

Information on vigils and services of support and remembrance for the victims of the Knoxville shootings continues to be gathered and posted on UUA.org. If you have information to share about such an event, please email information to websubmissions @ uua.org.

Messages of support and condolence for the members of the two Knoxville congregations continue to be received at the UUA's "Supporting Our Friends in Knoxville" blog site. Please feel free to add your message of support.

(posted at 10:00 p.m.)

Information on vigils and services of remembrance for those in Knoxville is being received. If you have information on such a service, or images and text to share, please write to oecdirector @ uua.org.

(posted at 2:00 p.m.)

The Unitarian Universalist Association has opened a space for those who wish to share messages of support with Unitarian Universalists of Knoxville. Please visit this new site to read or post your own message.

(posted 11:30 a.m.)

UUA President William G. Sinkford is now en route to Knoxville. Sinkford will speak tonight at a candlelight vigil to be held at 7:30 p.m. at the Second Presbyterian Church located next to the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church.

Trauma Response Resources for Families and Congregations have now been added to the Related Content box on this page.

(posted 9:45 a.m.)

A shooting Sunday morning at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church (TVUUC) has resulted in the death of a TVUUC member and that of a member of Westside Unitarian Universalist Church (located in Farragut, Tennessee) who was visiting TVUUC for the performance of youth play.

In the wake of this tragedy, Unitarian Universalists are rallying to offer ministry and support to the affected members of both Unitarian Universalist congregations.

Seven adults were also injured but—according to published reports—no children were harmed during the melee. The gunman was tackled by congregants and eventually taken into police custody.

UUA Thomas Jefferson District (TJD) Executive Annette Marquis has arrived in Knoxville to provide support and guidance to the Tennessee Valley and Westside congregations. Two members of the Unitarian Universalist Trauma Response Ministry, Rev. Rosemary Bray McNatt and Rev. Susan Suchoki Brown, were en route to Knoxville Sunday evening to provide additional support to members of the two congregations directly affected by this tragedy.

Retired UU minister Rev. Gordon Gibson was attending the service on Sunday morning when the shootings occurred; Gibson is now among those ministers now providing ministerial support on site for the Tennessee Valley and Westside UU congregations. Other Unitarian Universalist ministers are on the scene as well, working with members of the congregation and offering ministry support at the hospital where the wounded are being treated. Police chaplains have also been dispatched to the hospital.

Sue Sinnamon, TJD Director of Faith Development, will be arriving in Knoxville today; UUA President William G. Sinkford, who released a statement on the tragedy hours after it occurred, will also fly to Knoxville today to offer his personal support to the members of the two Tennessee congregations in this time of crisis.

Information on this page will be updated as additional news is received.

Last updated on Tuesday, July 29, 2008.