Posted on 03/08/2009 9:47:18 PM PDT by Squidpup
MARYVILLE, Ill. - A pastor shot and killed during his Sunday sermon deflected the first of the gunman's four rounds with a Bible, sending a confetti-like spray of paper into the air in a horrifying scene that congregants initially thought was a skit, police said.
The gunman strode down the aisle of the sprawling First Baptist Church shortly after 8 a.m. and briefly spoke with The Rev. Fred Winters, then pulled out a .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol and began firing until it jammed, Illinois State Police Director Larry Trent said. Churchgoers wrestled the gunman to the ground as he waved a knife, slashing himself and two other people, Trent said.
None of the about 150 congregants seemed to recognize the gunman and investigators do not know details of Winters' conversation with him, but they planned to review an audio recording of the service, Trent said. The service was not videotaped.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
Yimach shemo vezichro (may his name and memory be erased) to the murderer of this Pastor.
Prayers for the family and Church for their loss.
from www.joels-trumpet.com
Urgent Prayer Request / Update
Early this morning, Sunday March 8, while preaching at his church, Pastor Fred Winters, of First Baptist Church Maryville, Illinois was shot and killed. Apparently a few others were wounded as well. I consider First Baptist Maryville to be part of my larger-out of town-church family. FBC is the Church where I have spoken at and recorded my Islam DVD’s. I stood in that pulpit just a month ago. Pastor Winters is the courageous pastor that graciously welcomed and hosted me for these events. He leaves behind a wife and two young daughters. Beloved, please pray for Pastor Winter’s family, the others who were injured, FBC Maryville and all who have been affected by this utterly demonic event.
Click here for MSNBC News updates.
For those in the St. Louis area, a prayer service will be held tonight at 6:00pm, March 8, 2009, at Metro Community Church in Edwardsville, IL.
God be with the family of this pastor.
Carry every where you go now, even to church.
thanks
Not one mention of ethnicity on the shooter .... hmm, wonder why?
I’d like to know more about the gunman.
Islamic connection??
“Yimach shemo vezichro”
This is consistent with the Rabbinical explanation that the term is not a name but the acronym yemach shemo vezichro used in place of the real names of individuals guilty of such sins who are deemed not worthy of being remembered in history.
Many mosques in the St Louis area.
So true, I’ve been following up on the story trying to get more info on the shooter and the only thing I’ve learned is that he lived in Troy, a town nearby.
It is interesting that they have not released more information yet.
Our prayers go up for this precious church family. I cannot imagine the pain and grief...
For this reason, my father, I, and a number of the deacons carry concealed handguns into services. With the legal permission of the pastor and church body, of course.
What a sad day...
you blot out their name and history but you *have* to remember them.
I just realized that deranged and leftist are redundant. Sorry all.
Prayers go out to all families and friends of the victims.
Thx Libwhacker, wow, this may shed some light on why he did it. What a terrible thing to happen to the pastor.
I had no idea that there was a modern Jewish tradition of Damnatio Memoriae. Cool.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.