Asian-Americans in the United States aren’t relying on the trite idea of “thoughts and prayers” to help their community heal after six women of Asian descent were slaughtered at Atlanta-area spas by a man who claimed they were the cause of his sex addiction.

According to the Associated Press, leaders of Asian-American churches are urging their members to stand up and act against the violence against their community, which has increased nearly 150% in the past year.

“I’m going to urge people with love and peace that we need to step up and address this issue, so that … our next generation should not be involved in tragic … violence,” the Rev. Byeong Han, the lead pastor at Korean Central Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, said. “That’s what Christians need to do.”

Other faith leaders are also reaching out to Asian American religious leaders to offer support and community.  Chicago’s Garden City Covenant Church, which has about 60% of its congregation being Filipino-American, contacted other Asian-American churches.

“There were a lot of tears, and there were a lot of questions, and for many I think there is a sense also of helplessness,” said Gabriel J. Catanus, the lead pastor.  “It’s an important Biblical practice, and Christian practice, to come before God honestly and to pour one’s own heart out before God.  God can handle even the rage and the devastation that comes out of us at times.”

“There’s opportunities among faith communities that we need to stand up together and reach out to communities that are hurting, not only Asian American communities but other communities of color,” Kevin Park, an associate pastor at Korean Central Presbyterian Church, said.  “And I think there needs to be kind of this movement toward solidarity. … We’re all in this together.”