[Magdalen] Baton Rouge

[Jo Craddock]

Thank you for asking, Ann. (And, Lynn, I just got your message -- my 
phone battery had died.) We are sad in Baton Rouge. There is much work 
to be done in this community, but the response to yesterday's event has, 
for the large part, been commendable from all corners.

Our interim (Joe Reynolds+, retired Dean at Christ Cathedral in Houston) 
arrived July 1, then was out for a few days making final move of 
belongings from Atlanta for his 12+ months at St. James. His wife 
arrived Friday. We began planning, this morning, for a special prayer 
and healing service next week at our downtown church. St. James is  not 
in the neighborhood of the Alton Sterling shooting, the BRPD protests, 
or yesterday's shootings (the latter two at the western edge of the 
large subdivision in which I reside), or the ex-burbs where the deceased 
officers resided, all of which have planned services -- but as a 
downtown hub we felt it was important to do so. I appreciated Joe's+ 
intention that, "We cannot go on with business as usual, because it's 
not," and, "We are in the prayer business, so that's what we should be 
doing, together with all who wish to join us."

One of the wounded officers is still fighting for life. There were many 
people in the broad shopping area of yesterday's shooting who, no doubt, 
are scarred. A minor matter compared to life, but there must be a couple 
hundred hourly workers in the stores, gas stations, car washes, 
restaurants, etc. that lost perhaps critical hours of work, too, as the 
roadway was closed until late last night.  Your continued prayers for 
all affected are solicited.

Peace,
Jo



On 07/18/2016 9:22 PM, Ann Markle wrote:
> Jo, how are you doing? Such sadness delivered upon your neck of the woods,
> and the whole nation, on your behalf.
>