Posted on Sun, Jun. 07, 2009

e-mail	print	RSS	reprint
AIM	Digg it	del.icio.us	Facebook

Church where Tiller attended has first service since his shooting death

BY BECCY TANNER

The Wichita Eagle

WICHITA - Before Sunday's service, the Rev. Lowell Michelson stood outside the doors of Reformation Lutheran Church, hugging and welcoming each person who walked inside.

In the foyer near where Wichita abortion provider George Tiller stood in the last moments of his life, church members had set up a table with Tiller's portrait, floral bouquets, a condolence book and dozens of buttons reading "Attitude is Everything," a favorite saying of the doctor's.

Despite protesters, despite pain and tears, the congregation came together Sunday for its first worship service since Tiller was shot to death while serving as an usher last Sunday.

The Tiller family sat near the front of the sanctuary close to the choir, where Tiller's wife, Jeanne, was embraced by some of its members.

With an armed police officer standing guard in the sanctuary and police cars in the parking lot, members of the congregation embraced each other, pinned the buttons to their clothing, and prepared to begin what the Rev. Kristin Neitzel called "the journey of healing."

A few minutes after 10 a.m. Sunday, exactly one week from the time Tiller was slain, the congregation of about 250 worshipers filled nearly all of the pews in the sanctuary and began to pray together.

"Oh God, we are consumed by grief for what we have witnessed in our community," they said. "Come to our aid, walk with us, hold us, strengthen us, and give us courage for the days ahead."

The Rev. Neitzel's voice broke when she prayed "for the children and adults who saw sights and heard sounds that will forever scar their souls."

In his sermon, the Rev. Michelson told the congregation: "Most of us are still stunned" by the events of last week.

"I ask myself, did this really happen?" Michelson said.

He acknowledged some of the church members may have felt apprehensive about coming back to the sanctuary but said that "God gives us courage."

Staff members from Comcare of Sedgwick County were on hand before and after the service to provide mental health counseling.

Before the service, protesters from Topeka's Westboro Baptist Church held signs and shouted as church members turned into the parking lot. They were gone when the service let out about an hour later.

The service ended with the traditional Lutheran dismissal, "Go in Peace. Serve the Lord. Thanks be to God."

Michelson and Neitzel then stood at the back of the sanctuary and hugged each of the worshipers as they filed from their pews.

     Showing: Oldest first Newest first Most-recommended first Least-recommended first

@Nyx.AuthorDisplayName@ wrote on @Nyx.PostedAtTime@:

@Nyx.CommentBody@

@Nyx.Recommender@ @Nyx.AbuseReporter@