"SAFE HAVEN" DURING BOMBING TRIAL
Families of the Oklahoma City bombing victims will be offered a "safe
haven" while attending the trial of bombing suspect Timothy McVeigh in
Denver. The "safe haven" will be a quiet, comfortable and
confidential location families can retreat to when they need a break
from the trial, according to Jan Perino of Lutheran Family Services of
Colorado. Lutheran Disaster Response, a joint ministry of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Lutheran
Church-Missouri Synod, will coordinate the "safe haven" through
Lutheran Family Services of Colorado. Lutheran congregations will
provide breakfast, lunch and snacks for about 30 to 50 family members.
Trained clergy and mental health professionals will also be
available. The trial, scheduled to begin the third week of April, is
expected to last eight months. The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building
in Oklahoma City was bombed April 19, 1995. There were 168 fatalities,
including 19 children, and more than 600 individuals were injured.
For information contact:
Ann Hafften, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
