A regional UCC minister in northern Illinois says that the deadly shootings at Northern Illinois University have impacted persons across the region.
 
The Rev. Kathy Lawes, Prairie Association Acting Association Minister, says the NIU tragedy "has affected members and friends of UCC congregations in DeKalb, Sycamore and throughout the Prairie Association of the Illinois Conference."
 
UCC pastors and lay leaders are playing a significant role in ministering to the University and DeKalb-Sycamore communities, she says.
 
"We have a student in-care serving as our UCC campus minister [ at NIU] who is in the midst of providing a caring and faithful ministry to students who remain on campus as well as faculty and administrators who stop by the campus ministry building owned and maintained by the Lutheran Campus Ministry," Lawes reports.