Ministry blesses murder scenes to reclaim spaces from violence
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A UMNS photo courtesy of Associated Ministries A crowd prays at a site in the Tacoma, Wash., area, where several members of a family died in a domestic violence incident.
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"Moments of Blessing" crowd prays at a site near Bonney Lake in Tacoma,
Wash., where several members of a family died in a domestic violence
incident. The healing ritual was held in summer 2004. Associated
Ministries in Tacoma launched its Moments of Blessing ministry in 1999,
based on similar ministries in Indianapolis and Rochester, N.Y. The idea
has since spread to Seattle and Olympia, Wash. A UMNS photo courtesy of
Associated Ministries. Photo #05-225. Accompanies UMNS story #147,
3/10/05 |
March 10, 2005
By Kim Riemland*TACOMA,
Wash. (UMNS)—The yellow crime tape had been removed, but a disturbing
sense of sadness, loss and tragedy hovered over the tidy, white house on
a quiet street. The
man who lived here with his wife and son was accused of stabbing them
both last December. The 8-year-old boy survived and called for help, but
his mother died. While the man was arrested for the crime, the
neighborhood struggled to deal with the aftermath. That
is why pastors of Associated Ministries stood in front of the home one
chilly evening several weeks later for a powerfully symbolic act. Joined
by neighbors who knew the family, a police officer who didn’t and
anyone who was touched by the tragedy, the pastors officiated over a
ceremony designed to help heal wounds left by violent crime and reclaim
spaces tainted by fear, anger and pain. “We
come together this day to reclaim this space of death as a place of
life,” declared the Rev. Julia Price, pastor of the United Methodist
Church at Lakewood, a Tacoma suburb. Associated
Ministries launched its “Moments of Blessing” ministry in 1999, based
on similar ministries in Indianapolis and Rochester, N.Y. The idea has
since spread to Seattle and Olympia, Wash. “Moments
of Blessing is about going into spaces in the community that are seen
as dark and alienating, and bringing them back and reclaiming them as
places of life and hope,” said the Rev. David Alger, executive director
of Associated Ministries. The program represents more than 200
congregations, religious groups and interfaith partners in the Tacoma
area. “The community has taken a great deal of interest in it.” Although
acknowledging each homicide victim with a red ribbon and with words,
the ceremony focuses on blessing the place. The service is generally
brief. Prayers are recited, scripture read, water sprinkled and people
invited to express their thoughts about the victim, the crime and how
their lives were impacted. “It’s
a wonderful and powerful experience for those who take part,” said
Price, who has led several Moments of Blessing in the Lakewood area. “I
think it’s meaningful to people to know that the community remembers
their loss and grieves with them—that it is willing to pause and offer a
moment to heal and bless this spot.” Bettye
Clark says the service provided some closure for her family in the wake
of the murder of her 22-year-old nephew, Ranique Mosely, in November
2003. Authorities said Mosely was just in the wrong place at the wrong
time when he was shot by a stranger at a bowling alley. “We
had pretty much avoided that whole area. I didn’t even like to drive by
there,” Clark said. “This was a chance for us to come together with his
friends and the people he hung out with and remember him. It was very
personal. My sister (Mosely’s mother) was so grateful. And one thing
that really touched me is how even strangers came to be with us.” Attendance
at such services has ranged from about 350 to just two. The murder
sites have included houses, apartments, open streets, restaurants,
motels and parking lots. “We
once gathered in a railroad tunnel where a homeless man was beaten to
death,” Alger recalled. “It was a difficult spot to get to, and a number
of people from the homeless community joined us.” Another
memorable spot was a motel room where a woman had been killed. “The
motel hadn’t been able to use the room since the homicide because the
people who worked there refused to go into the room,” Alger said. “But
once they were there for the blessing, they felt better about it.” Pastors
generally emphasize the ritualistic aspects of the service and wear
robes and stoles. The liturgy includes a responsive reading of the
Beatitudes in Matthew 5. “The
cleansing of space is really important to a lot of people,” Alger said.
“It’s a community saying, ‘We are about life and hope, and we reclaim
this space in the name of Christ and in the name of hope.’ That really
does speak to people. “It’s
also a way of literally taking the church to the street so that people
see the church. People often comment that it’s so good to see the church
here.” News media contact: Fran Coode Walsh, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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