THE shocking images that came out of Sydney yesterday have hit home for a lot of people and Tenterfield’s Presbyterian Church say they’re providing a “sanctuary” for prayer and reflection.
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Two are dead and a disturbed individual shot, leaving a lot of unanswered questions for people.
Iranian man Man Haron Monis, a self-proclaimed sheik who was on bail for accessory to murder, has been identified as the man behind yesterday’s attack.
Monis was facing charges for being an accessory to the brutal murder of his ex-wife, and more than 40 sexual assault charges relating to his time as a self-styled "spiritual healer" dating back more than a decade.
Nearly 20 were held hostage at the Lindt Café in Sydney’s Martin Place by Monis in a siege that lasted to nearly 3.00am this morning (Tuesday, Dec 16).
Presbyterian Church pastor Jim Seymour said people were hurting and his church would remain open until 9.30pm for anyone wanting to drop by and reflect.
“I think some are looking at the developments that are happening in communities and feel hopeless and frustrated,” he said.
“Some parts of the community feel betrayed – there are a lot of questions and not many answers.
“We just wanted to give people a sanctuary to come and sit. It may just allow them to find some comfort,” Pastor Seymour said.
He said they have had people trickling in throughout the day.
With a large portion of the Tenterfield community identifying as Christian, Pastor Seymour said many people remain in the dark about the motivation of a minority of extremists.
“We find it difficult to see what people see in their (Islamic) proclamation – certain parts of their faith are being imposed in an adverse way,” he said.
But he maintained that their main focus was not to divulge into a debate on faith, instead they wanted people to utilise a safe environment to reflect on recent events.
