Following the tragic death Wednesday of a Shelbyville Middle School eighth grader, a prayer service was organized and conducted Sunday afternoon in front of the school.

Jose Rivera, of Grace Wesleyan Church, helped spearhead the effort with Max Southern of The Ville Church and Andy Lee of Crossroad Community Church to bring healing to a mournful community.

“Due to the recent things that have been happening in the school and the tragedy that happened this week with the young lady no longer with us, I just felt a desire to get the community out and pray for these kids, the faculty, the counselors,” said Rivera after the 20-minute ceremony attended by approximately 100 people. “I just feel like the world is trying to steal our children from us. I think the church has to do a better job of coming out, the leadership of the churches in this community and all over the country, we need to step up and stop preaching to each other in the pews and come out here in the world and lay hands on people, on property, on these issues that are happening.

“Bullying is happening in schools. Racism is still happening. People that don’t know God, kids that don’t know God, kids that are being raised by grandparents, the opioid addiction is getting crazy and we can go on and on. We want to come against that.”

Social media reports of bullying at Shelbyville Middle School were growing before Wednesday’s news of a student’s death. Warren Robison, leader of the middle school’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes program was in attendance Sunday.

“The answer is just love,” said Robison when asked if there is an answer to solve bullying. “How do we change the kids so rather than acting out in a harmful way … so kids act out why? To make themselves feel more important. Maybe they aren’t getting something at home and so they look for it here. And, unfortunately, they look for it in unhealthy ways.”

Rivera (photo) and several others led the prayer vigil that included approximately two dozen students of all ages.

“It’s called denial. It’s important that we highlight and bring a light to what is going on,” said Rivera. “This is not an isolated incident. It’s happening everywhere. There are kids feeling hopeless and helpless and we need to tell them that the church is here.”

Rivera, Southern and Lee led prayers for the students, the faculty and the community to help solve the issues affecting them all.

“We prayed directly for them. The counselors, the teachers, this principal who is doing a very good job,” said Rivera. “My daughter goes here and is a classmate of the student that just passed away. We are all feeling this.”

Robison spent several minutes after the vigil talking with students, as he does often during the school week.

“In my days when I was bullied, I was hit and slammed to the ground. It was physically being bullied. We didn’t have all the verbal, well maybe we did and just didn’t notice it,” said Robison. “Now, it comes more subtle. It comes where you can bully somewhat anonymously behind a computer or your phone. It gives us a lot more power.

“What is the answer? The answer has been the same. It’s always God. Until we can get that movement around and start seeing that, (bullying) is not the answer. It still leaves you empty. It still leaves you wanting more.”

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