“When we say that God is with us, especially here at Christmas time – when we say, you know, Emmanuel 'God with us,' that he came to earth to be with us – then I know that without “There’s no doubt that every one of us here at City Church would say that in a whole new way,” Karlen added.
The Protestant, non-denominational church with over 1,200 members was decorated with fairy lights such as Christmas trees and a nativity scene and also held a vigil service on Tuesday.
Then, drawing on Scripture, particularly the book of Job, the pastors addressed the challenge of balancing belief in a loving God with allowing for great suffering.
Karlen also objected to some taunts on the school's social media that questioned her religious beliefs. To the applause of the congregation, she repeatedly affirmed the presence of God in the midst of grief and weariness.
“None of us on our staff claim to understand why or how anything happened. But we understand that God sees us and sees things very differently than we do,” Karlen later said.
Police continue to investigate why 15-year-old Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow attacked the school before shooting herself. While dozens of school shootings have occurred in the United States in recent years, the vast majority are committed by teenagers and young men.
Barbara Wiers said faith helps teachers, students and families make peace with the possibility that they will never have complete answers.
“This senseless tragedy may never make sense. But. God, right? God understands, and God was there, and God is still here,” said Wiers, the director of elementary education and communications. “Ultimately it's not about the judgment of man, although there will be all that – because of the legal system and its impact. But God's righteous judgment will prevail. And we trust him for that.”
The school remains closed as staff work to repair the physical damage so that teachers and students are not re-traumatized immediately upon their return, Wiers said. Safety and wellness protocols will also be reviewed.
But on Christmas Eve, the town church plans to hold caroling and candlelight services in the hope that the community will draw comfort from familiar traditions.
“We know this is a long road for all of us, but the beginning is being with each other in the presence of God, hugging each other and singing together and praying together,” Karlen said.
Other churches affiliated with the school, as well as the broader Madison community, quickly banded together to help, from alumni who started food drives to evangelical ministries who sent counselors to pastors who ministered to hospital patients.
“Healing will come slowly, but they will not be left alone,” said the Rev. Kerri Parker, executive director of the Wisconsin Council of Churches, whose affiliates include about 2,000 churches and 1 million Christians.
Abundant Life Christian School is part of Impact Christian Schools, a network of private educational institutions that welcome families regardless of their faith, said Chuck Moore, executive director of Impact.
Moore said he hoped the shooting so close to the holidays would not forever associate Christmas with tragedy for the community.
“Even in the midst of the horror, it is still a time when we can rejoice,” Moore said. “We can focus our celebration on who Christ is.”
The school's teachers have already “talked about Jesus and faith in every classroom, in every subject, all day long, because God is not limited to Sunday,” Wiers said. And that focus will continue when school reopens sometime in January.
“We are changed. Our family has changed. But God hasn't changed. He didn't move. It hasn’t been changed at all,” Wiers said. “And the message hasn’t changed. God is good. God is always good. He is faithful and He is true. And although we are heartbroken, he will see us through this situation.”
