Eight people, including children, died in the massacre at a Texas outlet mall.
By Bobby Ross Jr.
ALLEN, Texas — “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
That passage from Psalm 34:18 was offered as comfort Sunday night as a megachurch two miles from the scene of the nation’s latest mass shooting hosted a community prayer service.
The Christian gathering, which mixed hymns such as “Amazing Grace” with invocations for victims, first responders and medical personnel, drew an estimated 2,200 residents and politicians including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
Related: War at home: Former Army officer aids Texas massacre victims, seeks God’s healing
At a street corner by a main church entrance, a few dozen protesters waved signs such as “Thoughts and prayers are useless” and “We have an epidemic of gun violence.”
The clashing messages came a day after a gunman opened fire at a Dallas-area outlet mall, killing eight people — including at least three children — and wounding seven.
This story appears at Religion Unplugged and The Christian Chronicle.
Photo by Bobby Ross Jr.
The Ross News 