Community Corner

"Fear No Evil"

Madison CT's candlelight vigil for those who lost their lives at Sandy Hook, Newtown, CT took place Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, commemorating the events of Friday, Dec. 14, 2012.

 

During a memorial service Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, Madison gathered to pay tribute to those who lost thier lives during Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in Newtown, CT, which took place starting at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 14, 2012.

In addition to the hundreds who gathered, participants included:

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  • Rev. Pat Liberty – Interim Senior Pastor, First Congregational Church of Madison
  • Madison First Selectman Fillmore McPherson
  • Tom Scarice – Madison Superintendent of Schools
  • Rev. Doug Dry – Senior Pastor, Christ Chapel
  • Pastor Ryan Baker – Youth Pastor, Christ Chapel
  • Pastor Volker Heide – Lutheran Church Madison

The music at the beginning of the ceremony, and as the candle light spreads throughout the congregation, was performed by Nathan Bayreuther, Director of Music Ministry at First Congregational Church and was entirely improvised.

Here is the 23rd Psalm, read during the ceremony: 

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The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Here is the blessing read during the ceremony:

Beannacht / Blessing

by John O'Donohue

On the day when
the weight deadens
on your shoulders
and you stumble,
may the clay dance
to balance you.
And when your eyes
freeze behind
the grey window
and the ghost of loss
gets in to you,
may a flock of colours,
indigo, red, green,
and azure blue
come to awaken in you
a meadow of delight.

When the canvas frays
in the currach of thought
and a stain of ocean
blackens beneath you,
may there come across the waters
a path of yellow moonlight
to bring you safely home.

May the nourishment of the earth be yours,
may the clarity of light be yours,
may the fluency of the ocean be yours,
may the protection of the ancestors be yours.
And so may a slow
wind work these words
of love around you,
an invisible cloak
to mind your life.

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In addition to this vigil, there was another vigil commemorating Sandy Hook at North Madison Congregational Church on Saturday.

 

Thank you to First Congregational Church for hosting the event, to all who participated, to those who did the videotaping, and to Laurie Satterwhite for sending it to Patch and providing us with the information about who participated.


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