Bishop McKnight issues statement on Pittsburgh synagogue shooting

Bishop W. Shawn McKnight of Jefferson City issued the following statement Oct. 27, in response to the shooting in a Pittsburgh synagogue during services, which the Anti-Defamation League is calling “likely the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in the history of the United States.”:

“We mourn with our Jewish sisters and brothers the loss of life at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh.

“A synagogue, indeed any place of worship, should be a sanctuary, a safe place for people to gather and to worship without fear or retribution.

Let us work together, all people of faith and good will, to address the causes of violence and to ensure our communities are not just safe, but welcoming and embracing all of God’s people.”

Bishop McKnight encourages people to pray the following prayer:

“We pray for those affected by the shooting at Tree of Life Synagogue: the dead, the wounded, those who loved them, the members of the congregation, the first responders, the residents of Squirrel Hill. May all know God’s tender mercy, especially through the care and compassion expressed by the community around them.”