“We prayed for them and thanked them,” says First Covenant pastor Wes Gibson.
About 70 people attended the service, which was a cooperative effort of Celebration, Community, Faith, and First Evangelical Covenant churches. Prayers were offered for individuals and families directly affected by the tragedy as well as for others who were in the mall at the time, Gibson says. “We prayed that God would lead our city officials as they led our city.” Attendees joined in directed prayer together for most of the service but broke into small groups for nearly 15 minutes at the end, Gibson says.
Churches also took time Sunday morning to pray for all who were affected. In addition to sharing that God was present to comfort, Gibson told the congregation that they should feel free to pour out their anger and questions for God in the same way as the Psalmists.
A gunman killed eight people before shooting himself to death at the Westroads Mall in Omaha. Just hours before the Sunday morning service, a shooter in Colorado claimed the lives of several people in Colorado Springs and Arvada. “It’s crazy,” Gibson lamented.
