NORTH CANTON – The 21 chairs in the front yard of Faith United Methodist Church bear poignant images highlighting the lives of 19 children and two teachers who were shot to death in Uvalde, Texas.

Rev. Steve Stultz Costello said the church, located at 300 Ninth St. NW, adopted the idea after United Methodist churches in Northeast Ohio and around the country made similar displays.

"Jesus wept," Stultz Costello said. "It's a way to acknowledge the loss."

Like the early church, Faith UMC frequently uses the arts as part of its mission. Stultz Costello said members were invited after the service on May 29 to create "prayer paintings" for each chair.

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The late Joe Garcia, husband of slain teacher Irma Garcia, is included on her chair. He died two days after his wife was killed.

"It just felt right to remember him as well," said Kathy Schmucker, the church's director of spiritual formation. "I think personalizing the chairs helps to reinforce the individuality of children who lost their lives so young. They had a future, and it was just snuffed out."

Schmucker noted that the volunteer artists were asked to recite the following prayer for each person: "Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer and move us to action."

"It resonates. It makes it real," said Diane Adams, a member and artist who helped oversee the project. "We really encouraged them to really think and pray in their hearts for each individual." 

Stultz Costello said that although the church has acknowledged previous mass shootings, this marks the first time they are recognizing individual victims.

"It's a powerful gesture," he said.

On May 28, in response to the recent shootings, Congregational United Church of Christ at 1530 Easton St. NE in Plain Township held a vigil in partnership with Moms Demand and Everytown. The church has on display 19 blue kindergarten-sized chairs, flanked by two adult-sized chairs, representing the victims in Uvalde.

The Rev. Dennis Coy, senior pastor, said the display was the idea of member Terry Admonius.

"We just took those items directly from our nursery and youth rooms," he said. "We thought about the many kids who have passed through our doors through the years. It could have been any one of them."

Coy said he's frustrated by the inaction.

"We are the only place in the world where this happens," he said. "Other countries have mental health issues. Other countries have extremists. Other countries have isolated and confused citizens, too. What they do not have are readily available AR-15 assault rifles and countless other guns."

The church's billboard also states "No More Empty Chairs. Gun Reform is a Faith Issue."

Coy said the word "Faith," which is in black, will change every week, substituting with such words as "community" or "family."

"We'll be changing that one word each week to show that it is not a political issue," he said. "It's a public health issue for our families and children. We're trying to take it out of the political realm."

Schmucker and Adams said they were happy to see an intergenerational response to creating the paintings. An emotional Adams added that she couldn't help but think of her own 10-year-old son.

"We're kidding ourselves if we don't think our kids aren't impacted by this," Schmucker said. "They need adults to protect and assure them. Our kids matter."

Stultz Costello said the chair display doubles as a prayer walk. More than 250 mass shootings have been reported in the U.S. this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive in Washington, D.C.

"It seems to certainly reflect that we're in that place of spiritual emptiness," he said. "When we're in a low place spiritually, I think you see all kinds of outburst of various kinds that are harmful and hurtful."

Stultz Costello said he's concerned about the country's emotional state.

"I wonder about the collective grief and loss we've experienced through the pandemic, through the many acts of racism that have been brought more front and center, and now the war in Ukraine," he said. "The 2020 election also continues to fester. All that collective grief and loss seems like a volcano. I'm not sure as a country we've been able to provide healthy (outlets). As churches, we want to find ways to help people know we're here to help when we can."

When asked how long Congregational UCC plans to maintain its memorial, Coy said he was unsure.

"We can barely grieve one event before another happens," he said. "Until we see some action within our communities, and by our government, we'll keep it."

Reach Charita at 330-580-8313 or charita.goshay@cantonrep.com