Wednesday, April 18, 2007
The following is a news report from National XA regarding the Virginia Tech shooting. At the end, note the link to the YouTube video of the shooter's commentary on his actions.
Can I tell you something I almost feel bad about? When I first heard about the Virginia Tech shooting, I reacted as many of you did: shocked. I didn't really know how to react, really. But after thinking about it, I wonder why we, as a country, are as shocked as we are. The link I have at the end of this blog entry is the video Cho Seung Hui, the shooter, sent to NBC. Like he says, we had a hundred billion chances to prevent the largest mass shooting in America. From what I perceive from his speeches, he was just a guy who wanted to be wanted. This is our mission field, folks, our game. And we're playing on our homefield.
_ _ _
Chi Alpha Prayer Central - April 17, 2007
Update and ag news report on Virginia tech chi alpha –
** SPECIAL REPORT: CHI ALPHA AT VIRGINIA TECH RESPONDS TO TRAGEDY
When the news of the killing of dozens of students at Virginia Tech ( Blacksburg , Virginia ) campus yesterday morning reached Chi Alpha Campus Pastors Jon and Jenny Rice, they reacted much like the rest of the 25,000-plus members of the campus body - shock.
"I was overwhelmed," says Jon Rice, who has been with Chi Alpha for four year and serving at Virginia Tech for two-and-a-half years. "My thoughts were disbelief mixed with fear."
Rice says that he and his wife also realized that students were now going to need a place just to go and "be."
"The first thing we did is we got everyone together last night at the Chi Alpha house for prayer and a time of community," Rice explains. "We started at 7 and went until 8:40 - then we had a time of community. Many of the students, including myself, hadn't eaten since breakfast."
Although Rice says that he believes none of their Chi Alpha group members were victims of the shootings, he has confirmed that at least one "great friend" of many of the Chi Alpha group members was killed by the shooter.
Along with being available to the Chi Alpha group, Rice and his wife are making themselves available to counsel other students through the Virginia Tech Dean of Students office. However, they're not alone - several AG pastors have also driven in to make themselves available to both students and faculty.
"A lot of the students are just in a state of shock right now," Rice says. "They really don't know how to respond - I think we'll be seeing a lot more students seeking help as time passes."
Rice says that he hopes to be able to visit the local hospital as well. Although the hospital is currently only allowing direct family members to visit those wounded in the shooting, Rice says he hopes that as clergy, he'll be able to visit and pray with family members and some of the injured.
For now, Rice says the Chi Alpha house will be open 24/7 for students to come. "We may not be able to be there around the clock, but there will always be someone who can help," he says.
"The school will be holding a convocation at 2 p.m. [Eastern] today for the entire university [at Cassell Coliseum]," Rice adds.
"President Bush and [ Virginia ] Governor Tim Kaine will be there."
Rice says that in addition to today's convocation, the campus ministry groups will be hosting a combined service at noon tomorrow on the drill field outside of the War Memorial Chapel for the entire student body.
"We want to come together to show we're unified as the body of Christ," Rice says. "We want to serve the students however we can.
The service won't be overly structured, but include a time of prayer and Scripture reading."
"We will have our regularly scheduled Wednesday night [Chi Alpha] service tomorrow," Rice says, his voice going quiet, "but it's going to be drastically different than we've ever had before."
The Assemblies of God national headquarters family joined with Rice in lifting the school up in prayer. Led by Assistant General Superintendent Charles T. Crabtree, hundreds of employees sought God for the injured, the sorrowing families, the school's leadership and the opportunity for the Holy Spirit to somehow work through this tragedy.
For more information about Chi Alpha, the Assembly of God ministry to secular college campuses, see http://chialpha.ag.org/. For more information about the Chi Alpha at Virginia Tech, see http://www.vtxa.com/. -- Dan Van Veen
Mario Solari, Southeast Area Director and campus minister at Florida State University will visit the campus tomorrow and speak at Chi Alpha. Ron Barnard, Arkansas District Chi Alpha director, and former campus director at Virginia Tech arrived today to provide support to the Rices and Chi Alpha students.
Churches have provided food for the many parents and friends who have come. The convocation hall only holds 10,000 so with 29,000 students and several thousand visitors not everyone could attend.
Continue to pray for the students, families, emergency personnel, law enforcement and university officials for healing and hope to be restored.
Dennis
Dennis Gaylor, National DirectorChi Alpha Campus Ministries USA
1445 Boonville Ave, Springfield , MO 65802Office (417) 862-2781Ext 1415Cell (417) 849-4198Fax (417) 865-9947http://www.chialpha.com/
YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1pj9i3hgRg
Can I tell you something I almost feel bad about? When I first heard about the Virginia Tech shooting, I reacted as many of you did: shocked. I didn't really know how to react, really. But after thinking about it, I wonder why we, as a country, are as shocked as we are. The link I have at the end of this blog entry is the video Cho Seung Hui, the shooter, sent to NBC. Like he says, we had a hundred billion chances to prevent the largest mass shooting in America. From what I perceive from his speeches, he was just a guy who wanted to be wanted. This is our mission field, folks, our game. And we're playing on our homefield.
_ _ _
Chi Alpha Prayer Central - April 17, 2007
Update and ag news report on Virginia tech chi alpha –
** SPECIAL REPORT: CHI ALPHA AT VIRGINIA TECH RESPONDS TO TRAGEDY
When the news of the killing of dozens of students at Virginia Tech ( Blacksburg , Virginia ) campus yesterday morning reached Chi Alpha Campus Pastors Jon and Jenny Rice, they reacted much like the rest of the 25,000-plus members of the campus body - shock.
"I was overwhelmed," says Jon Rice, who has been with Chi Alpha for four year and serving at Virginia Tech for two-and-a-half years. "My thoughts were disbelief mixed with fear."
Rice says that he and his wife also realized that students were now going to need a place just to go and "be."
"The first thing we did is we got everyone together last night at the Chi Alpha house for prayer and a time of community," Rice explains. "We started at 7 and went until 8:40 - then we had a time of community. Many of the students, including myself, hadn't eaten since breakfast."
Although Rice says that he believes none of their Chi Alpha group members were victims of the shootings, he has confirmed that at least one "great friend" of many of the Chi Alpha group members was killed by the shooter.
Along with being available to the Chi Alpha group, Rice and his wife are making themselves available to counsel other students through the Virginia Tech Dean of Students office. However, they're not alone - several AG pastors have also driven in to make themselves available to both students and faculty.
"A lot of the students are just in a state of shock right now," Rice says. "They really don't know how to respond - I think we'll be seeing a lot more students seeking help as time passes."
Rice says that he hopes to be able to visit the local hospital as well. Although the hospital is currently only allowing direct family members to visit those wounded in the shooting, Rice says he hopes that as clergy, he'll be able to visit and pray with family members and some of the injured.
For now, Rice says the Chi Alpha house will be open 24/7 for students to come. "We may not be able to be there around the clock, but there will always be someone who can help," he says.
"The school will be holding a convocation at 2 p.m. [Eastern] today for the entire university [at Cassell Coliseum]," Rice adds.
"President Bush and [ Virginia ] Governor Tim Kaine will be there."
Rice says that in addition to today's convocation, the campus ministry groups will be hosting a combined service at noon tomorrow on the drill field outside of the War Memorial Chapel for the entire student body.
"We want to come together to show we're unified as the body of Christ," Rice says. "We want to serve the students however we can.
The service won't be overly structured, but include a time of prayer and Scripture reading."
"We will have our regularly scheduled Wednesday night [Chi Alpha] service tomorrow," Rice says, his voice going quiet, "but it's going to be drastically different than we've ever had before."
The Assemblies of God national headquarters family joined with Rice in lifting the school up in prayer. Led by Assistant General Superintendent Charles T. Crabtree, hundreds of employees sought God for the injured, the sorrowing families, the school's leadership and the opportunity for the Holy Spirit to somehow work through this tragedy.
For more information about Chi Alpha, the Assembly of God ministry to secular college campuses, see http://chialpha.ag.org/. For more information about the Chi Alpha at Virginia Tech, see http://www.vtxa.com/. -- Dan Van Veen
Mario Solari, Southeast Area Director and campus minister at Florida State University will visit the campus tomorrow and speak at Chi Alpha. Ron Barnard, Arkansas District Chi Alpha director, and former campus director at Virginia Tech arrived today to provide support to the Rices and Chi Alpha students.
Churches have provided food for the many parents and friends who have come. The convocation hall only holds 10,000 so with 29,000 students and several thousand visitors not everyone could attend.
Continue to pray for the students, families, emergency personnel, law enforcement and university officials for healing and hope to be restored.
Dennis
Dennis Gaylor, National DirectorChi Alpha Campus Ministries USA
1445 Boonville Ave, Springfield , MO 65802Office (417) 862-2781Ext 1415Cell (417) 849-4198Fax (417) 865-9947http://www.chialpha.com/
YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1pj9i3hgRg
# posted by Amanda @ 2:29 PM 
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That's my intern director, y'all! He said he'd never experienced anything like that in his life. Just a bizarre experience.
Jon and Jenny Rice are former FSU interns, and since VA Tech is in the ACC, we've all been rocked by this horrifying story. Lots of Virginia students here.
10 more days!
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Jon and Jenny Rice are former FSU interns, and since VA Tech is in the ACC, we've all been rocked by this horrifying story. Lots of Virginia students here.
10 more days!
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