{"id":2084056,"date":"2023-10-30T13:42:04","date_gmt":"2023-10-30T17:42:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/more-than-1000-pay-tribute-to-maines-mass-shooting-victims-on-day-of-prayer-reflection-and-hope\/"},"modified":"2023-10-30T13:44:49","modified_gmt":"2023-10-30T17:44:49","slug":"more-than-1000-pay-tribute-to-maines-mass-shooting-victims-on-day-of-prayer-reflection-and-hope","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/more-than-1000-pay-tribute-to-maines-mass-shooting-victims-on-day-of-prayer-reflection-and-hope\/","title":{"rendered":"Over 1,000 honor Maine&#8217;s shooting victims with prayer, reflection, and hope."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmore-than-1000-pay-tribute-to-maines-mass-shooting-victims-on-day-of-prayer-reflection-and-hope%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2084056&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Residents of Lewiston Mourn Victims of Mass Shooting, Seek Healing and Unity<\/h2>\n<p>LEWISTON, Maine\u2014The\u200d community of \u2062Lewiston came together in a \u2063powerful display of unity and resilience as they \u2063mourned the victims of Maine&#8217;s worst mass shooting. In \u200da moving vigil\u200b held at the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, over 1,000 people gathered to\u200d honor the 18 lives lost in the tragic event. The atmosphere was filled with hugs, \u200dtears,\u200d and \u2064a heartfelt rendition\u2064 of &#8220;Amazing \u200bGrace,&#8221; as religious\u2063 leaders delivered messages of hope, healing, and the strength of\u200d prayer.<\/p>\n<p>As the names of the victims were read aloud,\u2063 the crowd\u2064 stood in \u200csolemn silence, some with heads bowed and others quietly weeping. The vigil was also livestreamed \u2063on \u200da large screen outside the church, allowing hundreds more\u2064 to participate in\u2063 the emotional ceremony. Many held American flags, while others held\u2062 candles in cups bearing the names of the deceased and \u200dinjured.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h2>Related\u200b Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/what-we-know-so-far-about-the-mass-shooting-in-maine-5518753?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><strong>What We Know so\u200d Far About the Mass \u2063Shooting \u2064in Maine<\/strong><\/a>  &#8211; 10\/28\/2023<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/recycling-center-in-maine-where-body-of-mass-shooting-suspect-body-found-had-been-searched-before-5518751?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><strong>Recycling Center in Maine Where Body \u200bof\u2063 Mass Shooting Suspect Body\u200d Found Had\u2063 Been Searched Before<\/strong><\/a>  &#8211; 10\/28\/2023<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The vigil was marked by powerful speeches from religious leaders,\u2062 including Reverend Gary Bragg of the Southern Baptist Church, who urged the\u2062 community to seek healing over \u2062temporary relief. Reverend Bragg encouraged attendees\u2063 to welcome their neighbors with open arms and\u2063 offer assistance in \u2063any way possible.<\/p>\n<p>The vigil took place just two days after the body of the suspected\u2062 gunman, Robert \u200bCard, was\u200d discovered in a trailer at a \u200brecycling center. Authorities believe Card died from a self<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/8-injured-1-suspect-in-custody-following-shooting-at-philadelphia-transportation-station\/\" title=\"8 injured, 1 suspect in custody following shooting at Philadelphia transportation station\">-inflicted gunshot wound<\/a>, but\u200b the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/more-than-1000-pay-tribute-to-maines-mass-shooting-victims-on-day-of-prayer-reflection-and-hope\/\" title=\"Over 1,000 honor Maine's shooting victims with prayer, reflection, and hope.\">exact timing remains\u2062 unclear<\/a>. Card was \u200balso suspected of injuring 13 people during the shooting rampage \u200cin Lewiston.<\/p>\n<p>Christian leaders, along with a rabbi and\u2064 an imam, spoke about the pain\u200d caused by the tragedy, but also \u2063emphasized the healing\u200b process and \u200cthe resilience\u2062 of the 40,000-strong community. A representative from Lewiston&#8217;s\u2062 deaf and hard of hearing community also addressed \u200dthe crowd, \u200chighlighting the impact of the shooting on their community.<\/p>\n<p>Kevin Bohlin, speaking on behalf of the\u200b deaf community, delivered\u2062 a heartfelt message through an ASL interpreter, expressing how the \u200ctragedy \u200bdeeply\u200b affected them. Throughout\u200d the vigil, attendees could be seen signing to one \u200canother, offering \u200csupport and understanding.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the immense\u200d loss, the Rev. Allen Austin of \u2064Pathways\u200d Vineyard Church encouraged the crowd to focus on fostering peace within their communities. He expressed \u2064hope that the tragedy would lead to a kinder, more compassionate, and more merciful \u200dsociety.<\/p>\n<p>Reverend Todd Little from the First United \u200bPentecostal Church \u200cof Lewiston \u200cspoke of the newfound unity among \u2063the diverse\u200b community, stating\u200b that they are not defined by the tragedy but\u200b are determined to emerge even stronger.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-figure\">\n<figure style=\"width:600px\" class=\"alignnone\"><figcaption>(Top L\u2013R) Victims of\u200c the Maine Shooting\u200c Ronald G.\u200c Morin, Peyton Brewer-Ross, Joshua A. Seal,\u2063 Bryan M. MacFarlane, \u200cJoseph Lawrence Walker,\u200d Arthur Fred Strout. \u2064(Second row L\u2013R) \u200cMaxx A. Hathaway, Stephen M. Vozzella, Thomas Ryan Conrad, Michael R.\u2063 Deslauiers\u2064 II, Jason Adam, Tricia C.\u2064 Asselin. (Third row L\u2013R) William A. Young, Aaron Young, Robert E. Violette and Lucille M. Violette, William Frank,\u200b Keith D.\u200d Macneir. (Maine Department of Public Safety via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Meanwhile, the city\u2062 of Lewiston slowly began reopening. \u200bLewiston \u2062Public Schools released a limited schedule for \u2064the week, allowing time for reflection as\u200b the community moves forward. City Hall also planned to reopen in the afternoon.<\/p>\n<p>Earlier in the day, church services across the area were deeply influenced by the shooting\u200d and the subsequent lockdown. At the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, women wore\u2062 black veils during the \u200dmorning mass, and the church raised\u200d funds\u2063 to support those \u200baffected by the tragedy.<\/p>\n<p>Reverend \u200dDaniel Greenleaf emphasized \u2062the importance of faith during difficult times,\u200d stating that it is through these challenges that people\u200d truly put their faith into practice.<\/p>\n<p>At Lisbon Falls Baptist Church, the congregation greeted each other\u200d warmly,\u2062 but the mood turned somber \u2064as\u2063 Reverend Brian Ganong addressed the tragedy. \u2063He offered \u2063prayers for the injured, the families\u200d who lost loved ones, and\u2062 the first responders \u200cand medical \u200cworkers. He also mentioned\u200c the Card family, who had\u200c connections to members of the church, and encouraged \u200ceveryone\u200d to\u200b find\u200c solace\u2063 in a\u2062 higher power.<\/p>\n<p>Authorities\u2062 discovered multiple weapons during their search for Robert \u2064Card and\u2064 believe he legally purchased them. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, \u200dFirearms, and \u200dExplosives \u200ddeclined to provide further details. \u2064Investigators \u2062are still working to determine a motive \u2063for the\u2063 massacre,\u200d with a \u2064focus on Card&#8217;s mental \u200bhealth history.<\/p>\n<p>As\u200c the stay-at-home order was\u200d lifted \u2062and some \u200dsense of normalcy returned, the community of Lewiston\u200d remained resilient. Residents\u2064 went\u200b hunting, and a family \u200ddistributed buckets of flowers downtown. However, \u2063reminders of \u2063the tragedy \u2063remained, with workers\u200d in hazmat suits seen cleaning the\u2063 shooting \u2063site at Schemengees\u2062 Bar &#038; Grille.<\/p>\n<p>Leroy Walker, an\u200b Auburn city councilor and father of one \u2064of the victims, greeted people at \u2063a\u200c trick-or-treat event with a heavy heart. He spoke of the ongoing pain and the profound loss he feels for his son, Joseph.<\/p>\n<p>Maine, \u2062a\u2064 state known \u200dfor its low crime rate,\u200b was deeply shocked by the deadliest shootings in\u2064 its history. The community continues to rally \u200ctogether, with three injured individuals still in critical condition at Central Maine Medical Center.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How did pastors and religious leaders show support and unity during the subsequent vigil?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  He\u2062 subsequent vigil. Many pastors and religious leaders incorporated prayers and moments of silence into their services, \u2063emphasizing the need for healing and unity among their congregants.<\/p>\n<p>Local businesses and organizations also rallied behind the community, offering support \u2063and\u2063 resources to those affected by the tragedy. The Lewiston Fire Department organized a blood drive\u2064 to help <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nascars-brennan-poole-says-of-ross-chastain-probably-needs-to-get-his-butt-whooped-after-crash\/\" title=\"Brennan Poole suggests Ross Chastain deserves a beating after crash.\">replenish local blood banks<\/a>, while \u200bthe Good\u200b Food Store provided free meals for those attending\u2064 the vigil. The outpouring of support from \u200bboth \u2063within and outside the community demonstrated the resilience and\u2063 compassion of\u200d the people of Lewiston.<\/p>\n<p>In the wake of such a devastating event, it is natural for a community to experience grief and sorrow. However, the vigil served \u2063as a reminder that unity and healing can be found \u200deven in the\u2063 darkest times. As Rev. Austin stated,\u200d &#8220;The\u200b true measure\u200b of a community is not in its suffering, but in how it comes together to support and uplift each other.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Moving forward, the\u2064 people of Lewiston will undoubtedly face challenges on their path to healing. But by coming together, supporting one another, and upholding the values of compassion \u2063and unity, they will emerge stronger than ever. The tragedy that occurred in their beloved city\u2062 will not define them, but\u2063 rather serve as a catalyst for positive change.<\/p>\n<p>As the residents of Lewiston\u200d continue to mourn the victims of the mass shooting, they do so with heavy hearts but also with a determination to honor their memory by building a more peaceful and connected community. Together, \u200bthey seek\u2063 healing and unity, \u2063drawing strength from one another and affirming that love, understanding, and \u2064compassion will prevail over hate and violence.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Residents of Lewiston, Maine, gathered to mourn the victims of the state&#8217;s worst mass shooting. They hugged, sang &#8220;Amazing Grace,&#8221; and sought solace from religious leaders who spoke of hope and healing. The community now returns to work, hoping to find strength in unity during these difficult times.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":136,"featured_media":2084057,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2084056","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2084056","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/136"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2084056"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2084056\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2084057"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2084056"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2084056"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2084056"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}