MARYSVILLE – Mountain View Presbyterian Church lies right in the middle of Marysville-Pilchuck High School nation.
So that is where many of those mourning the shooting that killed two at the high school Friday went to church to seek comfort Sunday.
Pastor John Mason (see full sermon below) has been in the middle of the tragedy since it began. As the chaplain on duty he was first called to comfort students as parents picked them up Friday. He was then called to a fire station to comfort first-responders who had seen the gruesome scene of two students who had died and four others critically wounded. Then he was called to the school itself to comfort a teacher on the scene. Later he counseled distraught families, students and staff who went to the district office for help. Finally, he led a vigil at his own church Saturday.
“It’s all been such a blur,” he said. It was “literally every community’s nightmare scenario. A shooter at our high school.”
To the congregation and visitors at his church Sunday, Mason said, “So this is what death valley looks like.”
Mason said in times like this he, like many others, likes to turn to a place of comfort. That is why he wanted to preach on Psalm 23, which just “jumps off the pages of the Bible as they are inspired by God,” he said.
“The Lord is my shepherd,” he said, and then continued with the passage.
In a prayer he said the community has broken hearts, tears and strained faces, but their eyes are looking up to God to help us through this time.
Mason said the passage explains both the good and bad of life. Lying in green pastures refers to relaxing and enjoying the goodness of life: blessings, family, vacations are all gifts from God.
“But then there are the death valley times. And I would say that’s where we are here in Marysville, WA right now. It’s a time when we are all too aware of the presence of evil; when we are reminded how fleeting this life is, and how abruptly life can be snatched away from those who least expect it.”
Mason said sometimes humans are tempted to run through green pastures and lie down in death valley. But that’s no way to live. Take time to appreciate the good and just keep walking through the bad and don’t give up.
“It’s scary to even take one step. But we have a God who will hold both our hands. And he will lead us forward. Out of death valley,” he said.
In his final prayer, Mason asked God to give us peace among a lot of tears. He asked for healing in the Tulalip community and for all the victims. He wants all of the M-P kids to know they are loved.
“God, we are a tapestry that needs to be woven back together. There is a huge tear in it right now,” he said. “We can get through this. We just have to be there for each other.”
At the beginning of the service, Mason opened with, “It’s been a tough week, and we get to gather together and hold each other,” adding, “this life is not all there is.”
He also talked about how the church-going community can be a comfort to all and “lead more people to you (God) for peace.”
Joe Bettridge, a visiting pastor from Friday Harbor, gave another prayer. He talked of the sadness, loss, grief and confusion of the community and being thankful of prayers from all over the world. He talked of many people in this world who do not know the peace that comes from knowing God.
He prayed of the strength, courage and grace shown by school administrators, faculty and students. Bettridge prayed for those who witnessed the shootings and prayed for the families who lost children and those still in the hospital. He prayed for the first responders, police, fire, nurses and doctors. He prayed for Jaylen Fryberg and Pastor Mason, “who was at the center of the chaos and the grief.”
None of the victims are church members some some M-P students and faculty are.
Tom Hoy of the Marysville Gospell Hall where M-P students were taken to meet their parents after the shooting, also sent that church’s sermon to the Globe.
Mountain View and the Gospell Hall aren’t the only churches helping those at M-P
While school is canceled this week, The Grove Church will open its doors to serve breakfast and lunch.
And the Hillside Church is opening its doors for students to gather. It also hopes to provide free breakfast and lunch.
Also, to help students and staff feel more secure the Marysville Police Department will have officers at all of the district’s secondary schools, and also, by random, drop-in visits at elementary schools.
Pastor John Mason’s sermon:
Scripture reading – Psalm 23 (NRSV) I have heard stories from other pastors about times when something huge, tragic or world changing had happened one or two days before Sunday morning and everything that was planned for that day had to be set aside.
Well, today is that day for us.
On Friday morning, our daughter, Becca, called me from the middle of her eight-mile run to say that police cars had just sped by her on 67th Ave. NE, followed by a paramedic truck. I have an app on my phone that lets me listen to the police and fire radio, and heard the unfolding of what is literally every community’s nightmare scenario. A shooter at our high school.
It wasn’t more than a minute later that my phone rang, and as police and fire duty chaplain, I knew that my life would not be my own for the next several days (or weeks). I said as much to Kris as I quickly changed into my chaplain shirt and coat and got in my car. On the way, I alerted our chief chaplain, and tried to keep listening to the radio. We had been directed to report to the drop-off point where the MP students would be taken to be reunited with their parents. I wasn’t there more than 30 minutes when I was called by the fire department to provide peer support for the first responders who, by this time, were returning to their stations after transporting four seriously wounded kids to the hospital.
Eventually I found myself in a big circle of those who were fire department first responders. They had a day they will never forget, though I’m sure they would like to. There were two they couldn’t save. And four they rushed to skilled doctors and professionals, and yet so much they didn’t know.
Next I was called back to school, but this time the MPHS campus to meet with a distraught teacher who, unfortunately I had missed because she had gone home. Then it was back to the school district service center where I spent the rest of the day and evening, supporting staff, families, and finally the football team as they gathered.
Saturday was more of the same, as I spent time at the school district and was part of the process for planning what’s next for MPHS students and parents at the service center until I rushed over here to attend our prayer vigil at 2:30 in the afternoon. And I’m sure it continues today, and beyond. One of our fire department battalion chiefs said it well on Friday afternoon. This will be our “new normal” for a while.
It’s all been such a blur. But in the midst of it, I had this thought: so this is what Death Valley looks like. I think of the way the message translation puts that part of Psalm 23…
Even when the way goes through There are actually several metaphorical locations named in Psalm 23. But two of them are “green pastures”, and “the valley of death”. About two years ago, I heard a sermon by Pastor Rich Kannwischer of St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach, CA. He gave this psalm new life for me when he drew my attention to the verbs related to these locations.
Namely, “…He makes me lie down in green pastures…”. And “…even though I walk through the valley of death.” And here’s the picture: These are both realities of all our lives. We have times of green pastures. They’re a gift from God. He provides for us times when we can rest, enjoy and breathe in the goodness of all God’s good gifts. Perhaps it’s a vacation, or a season of blessing and consolation. But the gift is the ability to lie down and take it all in.
But then there are the death valley times. And I would say that’s where we are here in Marysville, WA right now. It’s a time when we are all too aware of the presence of evil; when we are reminded how fleeting this life is, and how abruptly life can be snatched away from those who least expect it. The valley of the shadow of death is part of the journey of being human. We will all walk through it at some time…some of us perhaps get more of it than others. But notice the verb. We walk through the valley of death. Walk.
But the problem is…the challenge is…that we are tempted to run through the green pastures instead of lying down. And we sometimes find ourselves lying down in death valley, instead of walking.
So friends, here is one of the great truths scripture for us today. Yes, this is death valley. Keep walking. But, know this…you don’t need to do it alone. Because here’s the rest of this great prayer: The Lord is our shepherd. And a shepherd never leaves his sheep. The Lord leads us beside the still waters, and in the right paths for his name’s sake.
We don’t need to be afraid in death valley, because we have the shepherd’s rod and staff. It’s been said that the rod represents the shepherd’s authority and power, while the staff represent the shepherd’s care of the sheep. Both are an expression of how God relates to us. God is big enough and powerful enough to trust, even when things are going wrong…and it seems that evil is winning the day. We can trust that God is still in control.
And God is loving enough to hold us close and never let us go. He’s a shepherd with a staff…and has the ability to rescue us, and draw us close. He loves us with a parental love that never fails.
Can we catch this vision folks? God does not expect us to be heroic at times like this. No one runs through death valley. It’s all you can do to put one foot in front of the other. But, this we can do. But only because we’re not alone.
I’ve been thinking of our grandchildren in relation to this. We have two granddaughters right now who are on the verge of walking. Elsie can stand, leaning on the wall now. It’s so cute. But she is afraid to take a step.
However, as soon as she has hold of two hands, she loves to “walk”. She’ll walk as long as you want. Sometimes we’re that way. It’s scary to even take one step. But we have a God who will hold both our hands. And he will lead us forward. Out of death valley. And maybe we’ll be able to let go of one hand…and maybe we’ll (for a time) let go of the other and walk on our own. But He’s always there! This is my prayer for us. And this is the part of the journey when we will know that “goodness and mercy” will follow us all…as it says in the Message, will “chase after us” all the days of our lives.
This is our hope. That we can hold tight to Jesus’ hand. That we can put one foot in front of the other. Not thinking too far down the road, but just keep moving. Because it’s valley. And we know there’s an end to it if we keep moving. Let’s pray.
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff—
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
my whole life long.
Death Valley,
I’m not afraid
when you walk at my side. (vs. 4)
Marysville Gospel Hall sermon sent in by Tom Hoy
Our community has been rocked by the events of last Friday at the Marysville-Pilchuck High School. The lives of two teenage youths have come to a premature end here on this earth. Four other teens lie in hospital beds teetering between life and death. Family members and friends grieve this great tragedy and seek for answers to some important questions.
Why would he do such a thing? Why do it at school? Could I have done anything to keep him from doing it? To these and other questions, we may never truly know the answers. I want to assure you that the God of the Bible is not calloused or unmoved by the pain you feel.
In John chapter 11, the story is told of a dear friend of Jesus, by the name of Lazarus, who had died. Martha and Mary were sisters to this man and were weeping because of the death of their brother. When Jesus came to the grave where they had gathered to mourn, He wept right along with them! He felt their grief in a very real way!
The Bible tells us in Hebrews chapter 4, verse 15 that the Lord Jesus sympathizes with our weaknesses. If you are sorrowing today or perhaps fearful and confused, be assured that the Lord Jesus feels your pain and wants to comfort and strengthen you!
There are some truths from the Word of God that are a comfort to me and I trust they will be to you also. The opening words of the 46th Psalm are these; “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” The eternal God is the author and creator of life, not death; good, not evil; right, not wrong. God is good! God is love. God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.
In this scripture reading, we learn that God is our refuge. There are students who are safe and unharmed today because of the heroic actions of a young teacher who moved forward quickly, into harm’s way, to prevent the young, armed boy from causing further destruction and loss of life. She actually became a “place of refuge” or safety to many other students. She risked her life to save the lives of others.
God can be a personal refuge for us because of the most loving, sacrificial act this world has ever known! The Son of God, whose place of eternal residence was in Heaven, left that place of beauty and perfection, to come into this world of sin, violence, and hatred. He knew that in order to rescue us from sin and its dreadful consequences, He must lay down His life, bearing the consequences for our sins. He was sinless, so He could be charged with our guilt. He was “God manifest in flesh” and therefore infinite, so He could pay for the sins of the whole world! Because He took the responsibility for our sins and paid its great penalty, He offers complete forgiveness from all of our sins and eternal refuge and safety for “whoever will trust in Him!”
God is not only our refuge, but also our “strength, a very present help in trouble.” Each one who has been affected by this great tragedy needs strength to face the future. In times like these we feel our vulnerability and weakness. Supportive family, friends, and community are of immeasurable value. Be available to give a hug, a listening ear, or let them know that you are praying for them. But we need strength from beyond ourselves. The Lord has made a promise that applies to us today; “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness!”
God doesn’t always prevent or remove difficulties from our lives, but He does promise that in the midst of the storm, He will be right beside us, to give His grace and strength to endure. Our weakness gives God the opportunity to pour in His strength and grace, so that we can experience the reality of who He is!
Andrae Crouch wrote these words that are so true: I’ve had many tears and sorrows, I’ve had questions for tomorrow, There’ve been times I didn’t know right from wrong. But in every situation, God gave blessed consulation, That my trials come to only make me strong. I’ve learned to trust in Jesus, I’ve learned to trust in God.
Another verse goes on to say: I thank God for the mountains, And I thank Him for the valleys, I thank Him for the storms He brought me through. For if I’d never had a problem, I wouldn’t know that He could solve them, I’d never know what faith in God could do.
Finally, the verse reads that God is “a very present help.” That just means that He is right beside us and available in this and in every time of need! But we need to call upon Him!
The last verse of Isaiah chapter 40 says; “Those who wait upon the Lord, shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”
May each of us experience the refuge and strength of the Lord that is available to us, both in relation to the trials of life and that of our eternal future!
