Coastal Plains Disciples organize ecumenical response to Charleston shootings
It started with a phone call. Rev. Herschel Moore, retired associate minister of Bethany Christian Church in Houston called Rev. Marilyn Fiddmont and her husband, Norman, on June 18, heartbroken over the news of the shootings at Emanuel AME church in Charleston, SC. Moore wanted to reach out share in our pain, anger or whatever we experienced. Moore, who is white, said to the Fiddmonts, who are black, "It just seems like there should be something that we can do."
Fiddmont replied from her tradition, "We can always pray."
And with that spark the Fiddmonts and other pastors in the Coastal Plains area of the Southwest Region got moving to organize the June 25 Service of Solidarity and Healing at noon at Bethany. Starting with a text to Rev. Dr. Tommy Thompson, senior pastor of Bethany, the event blossomed.
Fiddmont said, "What I thought would be a simple prayer, hymn, and sharing time in the parlor, became much more. There was an ecumenical presence with our UCC's. Rev. Peggy Edge, area minister greeted the gathering and gave a statement of our purpose, healing, reconciliation and hope. There were probably 100 of us gathered including Charlie Wallace from Hope Partnership."
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