The New York Times > National > A Memorial for Columbine Hits a Snag:

Columbine will not hold classes on Tuesday, but parents who lost children will be allowed into the building as they have been on past anniversaries

Five years ago on Tuesday, I was a youth pastor at Centennial Community Church just a few miles from Columbine. Our youth program had 20 or so students who attended Columbine. I was attending Denver Seminary finishing my last semester on my MDiv. program when it happened.

The scene that day was surreal. And the impact of that dreadful day is unfathomable.

Fortunately, our church did not lose a single kid that day. But two churches on the same corner did. West Bowles Community Church is where Cassie Bernall went to church. Foothills Bible Church also lost a student in the massacre.

I am thankful that we didn't loose any kids that day. But I also know that many of them will be haunted by the memories from that day. One young girl from our youth group was in the room were Dave Sanders bled to death. Several others hid in the choir room until the SWAT team came in and rescued them several hours later.

At summer camp that year, several of the kids were running and playing, doing what high school kids do. I was outside talking to a girl who had survived Columbine hiding in the choir room. Then a group of kids came running out of the building chasing one another yelling and having a good time. The girl I was speaking to, fell to the ground. She was terrified. Kids running from a building screaming had triggered her memories of that day.

There are so many more stories I could tell. Waiting for kids at Leawood Elementary. The sheriff's announcement to the waiting parents that there are fatalities. The coroner asking parents to give a description of their child and to give them dental records. The feeling of leaving the school knowing that so many parents were going home knowing that their child lay dead in a high school building. So many stories from that day...

My prayers are with all of the survivors, their families, and the victim's families this week. May the Lord bless you and keep you, may he turn his face toward you and give you peace. Amen.