LOWELL, Mich. — A Lowell church is hoping to inspire conversations about gun violence in the U.S. with a memorial.
In front of Lowell United Methodist Church, 21 empty chairs sit on the lawn with canvas paintings arranged in front of them. The chairs represent the 19 children and two teachers killed in last week's shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.
Pastor Brad Brillhart said they're hoping the memorial sparks conversation in the community and leads to change that ends gun violence. The memorial was placed over the weekend after Brillhart said church officials searched for ways they could inspire change in the community.
"We were looking online, and we saw that a lot of other churches in the country were putting chairs out in front, just as a memorial and to remember those who passed away in Texas, after that horrific event," Brillhart said. "So it's our way of doing a little something, but it also engages the community."
The artwork on display was made after the Oxford High School shooting in November 2021, when the church opened a quiet time for community members to express themselves through art.
Brillhart said they hope the memorial will encourage action to prevent another school shooting.
"We're kind of getting tired of just praying about this," Brillhart said. "We need to take some kind of action, we got to do something better for ourselves for the good of the community, and our nation."
Ultimately, Brillhart said the memorial's purpose is to prompt conversations about gun violence and put the situation in perspective.
"We're trying to get some discussion going. And slow down, maybe, and think a little bit more, and try and work together," he said. "Even if we have disagreements on political issues, and gun usage and all that stuff, we'd really like to work more together to find a solution to this problem."
Brillhart said the church will keep the memorial up for a while. Anyone struggling with the Uvalde shooting is encouraged to visit the memorial to leave their own artwork, pray or grieve.
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