“The brightness that shines through the dark of a tragedy such as we have suffered here in Lewiston, our home, is what it always is in times like these: the immense capacity of our shared humanity,” said Bates President Garry W. Jenkins in his remarks during today’s Vigil for Grief and Remembrance, held at 4:30 p.m. in Gomes Chapel on the one-week anniversary of the shootings in Lewiston. Led by the Rev. Brittany Longsdorf, the college’s multifaith chaplain, the vigil gave the campus community an opportunity to come together for silence, candle lighting, poetry, and interfaith prayers, and, ultimately, to share communal grief with their Lewiston community. “We arrive at this moment as one community,” said Jenkins. “We must continue to support each other, just as we did in the hours and days after the tragedy. In doing so, we will move forward, move through this, together.” In her remarks, Longsdorf spoke of the power of sharing grief as a community. “Some may think that grieving is weak, or a form of surrender. But I believe that grief is a form of rest and a method of love. When we grieve together like this, in community, we powerfully hold each other and are held. When we grieve, we continue loving amidst loss. When we remember, we root to purpose and commit to change. When we remember, we connect the threads of the dead to how we still want to live our one precious life.” In addition to brief remarks by President Jenkins and Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline, the vigil included the reading of the names of the 18 people killed in the shootings, readings by Bates students and local faith leaders, and musical performances. “Lewiston is your city, just as much as it is mine,” Sheline told the packed chapel audience. “Together we are sharing in this tragedy. Flash forward to now: Together, we will be joining the recovery and healing, too. We will stand shoulder to shoulder together, and therefore we will rise together.” The service concluded with remarks by the Rev. Raymond Clothier, associate multifaith chaplain.

Remembrance Service

Friday, October 25, 2024 — 12:00pm
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The Vigil of Remembrance on Friday, October 25th at 12:00 noon in Gomes Chapel will be available via livestream. We invite the entire Bates community to join us virtually to honor the memories of those who passed from the events of October 25, 2023, during this time of reflection.

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