Churches Pull Together To Offer Support To Those Hurting In Longmont
LONGMONT, Colo. (CBS4) - A number of churches in Longmont are pulling together to offer support after several violent attacks in the normally quiet town last month.
Members of 12 different churches filed into First Congregational United Church of Christ Sunday night and prayed together for an end to the violence.
"There's no attempt that's going to be made tonight to try to explain or answer the big questions about why this occurred. Simply to be in the presence of God," said Rev. Rick King.
Within the space of two weeks, the following crimes were all committed inside city limits:
- Michelle Wilkins was attacked and her unborn baby was cut from her body.
- A man was accused of stabbing his parents and killing himself.
- An alleged Facebook feud caused one man to stab another.
That rapid sequence of violence inspired Del and Marylou Wnorowski to rally the churches for Sunday night's of community prayer vigil.
"It was very difficult for people just to absorb it -- that this could be happening in Longmont, which is a really fairly peaceful, quiet little community," Marylou Wnorowski said.
A byproduct of Sunday's service is an ongoing effort by Longmont churches to provide help and guidance for people suffering from mental distress.
"If somebody hears somebody talking about hurting themselves or others, (we encourage them) to ask them questions. That they try to listen to them," King said.
Those who attended Sunday's service were given information about a community mental health forum this week. That will happen Monday night at 6:30 p.m. at LifeBridge Christian Church, located at 10345 Ute Highway.
