MORRISTOWN — The Church of the Redeemer in Morristown will host an exhibit of “Memorials to the Lost,” a display of t-shirts bearing the names of those in New Jersey who have died as a result of gun violence.
For four years Redeemer has participated in the Gun Violence Prevention Sabbath in an attempt to draw awareness to the staggering number of gun deaths in the United States. The annual event now coincides with the tragic December 14, 2012 shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.
“We had been preparing for ‘Memorials to the Lost’ since September,” said the Rev. Cynthia Black, rector of Redeemer. “But it wasn’t until the Paris massacre that folks in the congregation began signing up to get involved. We couldn’t even get a banner made for our front lawn explaining the exhibit before it had to be corrected. We are having to hand write in the words ‘San Bernardino,’” she said.
“Memorial to the Lost” is a project of Heeding God’s Call, a faith-based movement to prevent gun violence (heedinggodscall.org). In addition to the t-shirt exhibit bearing the names of 46 victims of gun violence in New Jersey in 2014, on display on the church lawn December 12-14, the congregation will read a Litany to End Gun Violence at worship services at 8 and 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, December 13th. On December 14th, the anniversary of the Newtown shootings, the church will be open for silent prayer, reflection, candle lighting, and, if one chooses, to write a letter to one’s legislators.
The Church of the Redeemer, located at 36 South Street, Morristown, is a Christian liberation community in the Episcopal tradition, serving the people of Morristown and beyond for more than 160 years. Sunday services are at 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. (inclusive worship). As part of its practice of radical hospitality, the church provides space to the Community Soup Kitchen of Morristown, the Eric Johnson House (part of NJ AIDS Services), a number of 12 step groups, and Empty Bowl Zendo. To learn more, click here.
