Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin, joined by Lt. Governor Jenean Hampton, were in Marshall County Friday at the Children’s Arts Center in Benton to declare Sunday as a Day of Prayer in Kentucky.
Kentucky State Police Commissioner Rick Sanders spoke about his time these last few days in Marshall County following the tragic events of Tuesday saying, ““To those from Benton, to those from Marshall County, I want you to know that we grieve with you. I am a man of faith, and I know we will see Bailey and Preston again.”
Sanders thanked the first responders starting with the dispatchers who first received the call, EMS and fire department, all of those in law enforcement, Sheriff Kevin Byars, all those in uniform for being there and the high school administrators and teachers.
Marshall County Judge/Executive Kevin Neal said the best that we can do as a community is to show support.
“There are a lot of wounds that may not ever be healed, but they will remember us as a community for coming out and sharing our support to those who need it”, Neal said. “I want Kentucky…I want Marshall County, to set an example for this country for how we come out and show support and our faith.”
Kentucky Lt. Governor Jenean Hampton said she is grateful that in this sad time, the communities have rallied around the families and hopes that long after the cameras are gone and long after the media is gone, the community will continue to support them.
“I pray for Kentucky kids”, Hampton said. “I ask God to assign an angel for every Kentucky child.”
Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin said he was proud of the Marshall County community and how they have represented Kentucky at times like this.
“Faith and family is what gets you through times like this, and you have an abundance of it”, Bevin said. “Every family in this community has been effected.”
“I came here today became I wanted you to know how many people outside of this community are praying for you. People all over the country, people all over the world. The number of people that I’ve had conversations with, world leaders, national level leaders, state level leaders, people outside of this community far and wide who are pouring their thoughts and their prayers.”
Bevin spoke of the power of prayer and encouraged everyone to pray this Sunday, a Day of Prayer for Marshall County.
“Just put a seed…at a time like this there’s a lot of fertile ground, watered by a lot of tears”, Bevin said. “But seeds are going to be planted and germinate over time and the trajectory of the world will be better, because of this pain that has been inflicted upon this community. The ripple effect of this we will never know, most of us ever and certainly not on this earth…but I will say this, the world will be made better by the loss that we have experienced.”
Bevin asked those willing to join him on the stage as a united front of a group of people that will emerge from this and be stronger, as families of victims, local clergy, elected officials and others joined the Governor on the stage.
The Proclamation reads…
This is a Proclamation to all whom these presents shall come,
Whereas on January 23, 2018, an act of evil shattered the start of the school day at Marshall County High School in Benton, Kentucky causing the loss of two precious lives and leading to the injury of many innocent people,
And whereas, the Marshall County community, though reeling from this atrocity, has come together to comfort one another, relying on their love for each other, their school, community and their faith.
And whereas, from the beginning of our nation, Americans have joined together in prayer during times of great need to ask for God’s blessing and guidance. A tradition dating from June 12, 1775 when the Continental Congress proclaimed a day of prayer following the battles of Lexington and Concord and on April 30, 1789 when President George Washington during the nation’s first Presidential Inauguration, asked Americans to pray for God’s protection and favor.
And whereas the Preamble of Kentucky’s Constitution states, “We the people of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, grateful to Almighty God, with a firm reliance to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties which we enjoy.
And whereas, throughout the history of the Commonwealth, Kentuckians in times of great trial stand upon the bedrock of their faith with a firm reliance upon the power of prayer .
And whereas in keeping with our state motto, “United We Stand, Divided We Fall” all of Kentucky stands with the residents of Marshall County and especially with the families that were effected by this horrible event.
Now therefore, I Matthew G. Bevin, Governor of Kentucky, pursuant to the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the Statutes of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, do hereby proclaim Sunday, January 28, 2018 as a Day of Prayer for Marshall County in Kentucky.
I urge Kentuckians of all faiths to prayer earnestly for God’s comfort upon the victims and their families. God’s healing for those injured and God’s solace for all who were present. I also urge prayers for gratitude for the first responders and all those on site who reacted selflessly to insure that more lives were not lost.
Finally, I urge prayer for God’s mercy and abundant blessings upon the Marshall County community and the Commonwealth of Kentucky, that we might live together with genuine love and compassion for one another and that God might continue to shed his Grace upon the United States of America.
Done at the Children’s Arts Center in the City of Benton, this 26th day of January in the year of our Lord 2018 in the 226th year of the Commonwealth.