AUSTIN, Texas — People across the state of Texas, and right here in Central Texas, are still trying to process the grief they are feeling following the Robb Elementary shooting in Uvalde. Many people have turned this grief into donations or plans of action, but everyone is feeling the need to process this tragedy.
Members of Westlake United Methodist Church in Austin have created a space to memorialize those killed in the school shooting and for people to use to reflect and process their feelings.
A few church members went to their church leaders asking to create this space in the prayer labyrinth at the front of the church, which church leaders agreed was a good way to help the community.
“It was just a way for us to process it, but also to offer something for the community,” shared Ann Finch, one of the church members who put together the memorial space, “because I personally don't know what to do with my grief.”
They set up 19 small chairs, labeled with the names of students killed, and two adult-sized chairs, labeled with the names of the two teachers killed. They also hung 19 small hearts and three big hearts on a cross, to represent those killed at the school and Joe Garcia, who died of a heart attack in the days following the shooting, in which his wife was killed.
“Sometimes people feel a little bit lost after a horrific tragedy like this and they don't know where to begin,” said Curt Davis, associate pastor at Westlake UMC. “They don't know how to process those feelings, and sometimes having a central location can be helpful.”
Church leaders said people can come to this space at any time to reflect, grieve, pray and process any way they need to. They say you can walk around the chairs, sit or stand.
They also hope that this time of reflection will lead to changes being made.
“Just trying to find some way to process it, but also remember it and work toward change. We cannot continue this. There has to be some way we can change this,” said Finch.
“We just want to provide a safe space for people to grieve and then hopefully even to consider what that might mean in the future,” said Davis. “What actions could be taken to help curb these horrific types of events?”
The memorial is set up in front of Westlake United Methodist Church, which is located at 1460 Redbud Trail in Austin.
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