OMAHA, NE (December 10, 2007) – The Omaha Fire Department squad that was first on the scene of the deadly shooting at a local shopping mall last Wednesday attended a community prayer service at First Covenant Church on Friday night.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe prayed for them and thanked them,\u201d says First Covenant pastor Wes Gibson.<\/p>\n
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. \u201cWe prayed that God would lead our city officials as they led our city.\u201d 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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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. \u201cIt\u2019s crazy,\u201d Gibson lamented.<\/p>\n