O God of Grace and Mercy

Tune: "Aurelia" (The Church's One Foundation)
by the Rev. Leigh B. Gillis
Elizabeth City, N.C., April 17, 2007
Virginia Tech graduate, 1977

O God of grace and mercy
We cry out once again
In disbelief and horror
We just cannot explain
Why suffering can happen
And evil seems to win,
Yet our lives rest in your hands—
Let healing now begin!

I see the town of Blacksburg,
The valley and its hills,
The folks of faith who nurtured
This pastor and her skills.
I thank God for time spent there
And how grace brought me through,
And ask your Spirit’s presence
As others grow there, too.

These tragic deaths remind us
How fleeting are our days.
Through tragedy, your loving
Continues to amaze.
Grant peace to those who suffer
And we who need to see
That we can place in your hands,
Our lives, eternally.

Leigh B. Gillis, Pastor
Cann Memorial Presbyterian Church, Elizabeth City, N.C.
Permission granted for use with proper attribution.