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Over 500 members of the Missouri State community and the broader community gathered for a memorial service Monday night to remember the victims of the recent shootings at Virginia Tech. The program included student and faculty speakers, along with a performance by the Missouri State Concert Choral. KSMU's Emily Nash was there last night, and reports.
Jungers says, "Complete our work, which we have begun in your name, so that our singing may become healing, curing the wounds, of body and soul."
Those were the words sung by The Missouri State Concert Choral during the Virginia Tech memorial service Monday night.
Dean of Students Mike Jungers, spoke to a standing room only audience at the Plaster Student Union Theater and encouraged them to look to the future.
Jungers says, "We need to be careful, and we need to care for each other, and we need to be more observant of life than probably any of us were the day before this tragedy. But we must find hope and we must find and extend love. We must be a community just as I know the community of Virginia tech will rise up from their pain and their community will be restored and even stronger. Think of that and challenge those who are not here to do the same."
Members of the Missouri State community and members of the public gathered Monday night to remember the victims of the shootings that happened last week at Virginia Tech.
Cain says "My name is Sean Cain, and I am the outspoken student body president, but I think silence speaks louder than any words I can say, so tonight my words will be brief.
Tonight we come to celebrate the lives of 33 of our fellow members of America's Collegiate System that lost their lives last week at Virginia Tech."
Cain challenged audience members to rethink their perceptions of the shooter Seung-Hui Cho.
Cain says,"I would also like to challenge our community to look past the fact that the killer was one of us, that he was a student from a foreign nation, This was a student that could have en any one of us, so I ask that if there are any prejudices, to please put those prejudices aside and see that this was a troubled student who could have used intervention, who could have used a helping hand, and some accountability."
Students at the memorial service wore orange along with traditional Missouri State maroon to show support for Virginia Tech.
Stopman says,"My name is Beth Stopman and I am a psychology major here at Missouri State and I am a Junior. I just want to show support to Virginia Tech for college all around the U.S. want to show support and show that we are hurting with them and want to be there for them."
Law says "My name is Chris Law and I am a sophomore at Missouri State and I am a radio broadcast major. You know we are all college students so we are all united across the county, so people you don't know, those are your brothers and sisters out there."
A Missouri State campus minister spoke at the service Monday night.
Daniel says,"My name is Rob Daniel and I am a retired law enforcement officer, and serve as a campus minister for Missouri State. No where are we promised a safe or an easy journey. Bad things do happen to good people. We do not know what, but we do know that the giver and sustainer of life has promised to save and to rescue us if we are faithful to him. Even when bad things happen, God is still at work, and will be faithful to his promises."
Student body president Sean Cain, asked students, to use the Virginia Tech incident to remind them to take action in helping each other.
Cain says,"So I also challenge each one of you that if you see an issue that needs to be address, a problem that needs to be helped, don't do nothing, do something."
The service closed outside with audience members holding their candles, and singing the hymn amazing grace.
