Will the pastor stay up most of the night, tear up her prepared sermon and write a new one, create a new bulletin and call pastoral counselors she knows hoping one of them can be at church the next day? Or does she go to bed and just add a prayer for those impacted by the violence?  

 

One clergyman describes this situation as his "worst pastoral nightmare."   

 

Public violence — when a random violent incident traumatizes a community — is occurring more than once a day in the United States. No community should expect to be exempted. 

 

When an incident of public violence occurs, houses of worship report inactive members and an influx of visitors attend the following day of worship. Whether the visitors return the following week often depends on their experience that day. 

 

While a new sermon and worship service can be created overnight or on the fly, it is better to be prepared for the inevitable day when public violence occurs in the community.

 

Creating a plan for the first worship following an incident of public violence should not just be a task for the pastor; members of the leadership team should also participate. It's better to have leaders agree ahead of time that no matter what special music or service features had been previously announced, the entire worship experience may be changed when violence occurs.

 

A key component of the plan must focus on communication to members and the general public. Who will update the website, the Facebook page, Twitter feed, an email list? Who will write and who will approve the message, and how quickly can it be distributed? Following the nightclub shooting in Orlando in June 2016, just two local houses of worship included anything on their website and less than five had anything on their Facebook page in time for Sunday morning worship.

 

Also, decide ahead of time who will speak to the press and be sure that person knows the right information and what to say — and not to say. This is not the time to get into a political debate. 

 

The message for the day should also be outlined in advance. All incidents of trauma have some commonalities that can be used to prepare a generic message; fill in the details when the incident of public violence occurs. The same is true for the actual service. If printed bulletins are used, produce extras of an undated bulletin and keep the copies offsite in case worship has to be moved. Don't forget the childrens' message if one is normally prepared; make sure it is appropriate and consider providing trauma resource suggestions for families.

 

Know where the worship service will be held if the building is within police lines or threatened by a local disaster. Develop a plan ahead of time with another religious community or another appropriate location that is available with little notice. Following a recent Saturday incident of public violence, one pastor used his smart phone to videotape a message that was posted on Facebook telling members where and when they would meet and how to avoid police barricades. 

 

By definition, public violence causes trauma. As many as forty percent of community members will need professional help to navigate through the trauma. Identify credentialed professionals trained in crisis and spiritual care counseling to whom congregation members may be referred when an incident occurs. Health Department professionals are likely to be overwhelmed and may not reflect an appropriate theology. Include a plan for care for clergy and other staff, who can easily suffer Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) while caring for everyone else. 

 

Finally, plan for the future. Topical workshops, future services of remembrance, and ongoing trauma counseling should all be part of ongoing care following the first worship service. Lives and places are forever changed following public violence, and working through the recovery phases will take years even for the best prepared communities. Be open to offering or participating in new ministries as the community heals.