Marblehead minister speaks on Knoxville

Rev. Wendy von Zirpolo, minister of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Marblehead, sends along a note about the shooting at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville, saying “This incident is a stark reminder that homophobia is alive and killing.” Von Zirpolo's congregation held a vigil in Marblehead last night, and is planning a worship service to reflect on the shootings at 9:30 a.m. Sunday.

“Our doors, like the Knoxville congregation, remain open to everyone, and on Sunday we will mourn the loss of their two fallen members, offer prayers to their entire community, provide solace to those shaken by the presence of such violence in our lives and celebrate the commitment to diversity that ironically would have welcomed this troubled man had he arrived without a gun and instead with a simple request for aid....The local interfaith community has been outstanding in their support. I’ve received messages of shared grief, support and collective hope from my Marblehead colleagues and know this group to be one that understands this assault, violence brought into in a house of worship, to be an assault upon us all.”