By Matt Payne
The front lawn before West Freeway Church of Christ was filled by supporters, both locals and from afar, as congregation members inside the church completed Sunday's curtailed worship service.
Vanessa and Manuel Hernandez do not attend West Freeway Church of Christ.
The couple, among some hundred visitors huddled outside the White Settlement church Monday night grasping lit candles in song and prayer, mentally wrestled with words that’d properly illustrate their thoughts when news broke the previous day of a man murdering two parishioners before being subdued by security, just right around the corner from their subdivision.
In recent times, they’d heard of shootings happening “all the time” on the news, a tragic idea to dwell over, but one that feels worlds stranger when imagining it happening a brief walk away from where they live with their children.
“We don’t even go to this church,” Vanessa said. “But it’s our community. We live right around the corner, just five minutes away from where we live.
“Evil lives everywhere. ... We can’t even be at church, the most sacred place ever, where it’s supposed to be safe.”
By Matt Payne
Several hundred held lit candles through song and prayer the night following Sunday's shooting at West Freeway Church of Christ.
Palpable bouts of silence framed hour long ceremony held in remembrance of the two who died at the attacker’s hand during Sunday’s service. Ministers from surrounding churches and outside cities appeared en masse, consoling those with emotional turmoil, cooking meals to feed up to 1,000 and encouraging them to find refuge in their shared faith.
Blan Chrane, who serves as pulpit minister at the Church of Christ in Franklin, called Britt Farmer, West Freeway’s senior minister, a mentor. He reminded the crowd that worship in church is the norm, and to not become desensitized by reports of shootings nationwide.
“I want to make clear the purpose of this: This is to show love and support and healing for a community that has been hit hard,” Chrane said. “This is an opportunity to show unity, to show strength, and to say to the world, ‘no.’ No more.”
Pastor Farmer had a similar message whenever he emerged from the inside sanctuary, wherein he completed the sermon cut short from the events this past Sunday morning.
By Matt Payne
Jeoff Williams, regional director for the Texas Department of Public Safety, bows in prayer beside Britt Farmer, West Freeway Church of Christ’s senior minister.
West Freeway’s senior minister, though optimistic in light humor and stewardship, requested the crowd to pray for him. The two parishioners who died — Tony Wallace and Richard White — have left a void in Farmer’s heart. White was revered as Farmer’s best friend.
Farmer said he knew the attacker before the event, a homeless man to whom the senior minister provided food and companionship. Yet, despite the attack, the minister didn’t waver in his words, and told the hundreds of his congregation’s mission.
“In the coming months, this church is going to work to be restored, and you are invited to attend and witness,” Farmer said. “God is constant. God does not change.
“Know this: Evil did not win.”
