1 Killed in Weekend Church Shooting

Pastor's mother killed after gunman opens fire in church

From: Fox News

{A pastor's mother was shot and killed when a gunman opened fire in a Colorado church Sunday, FOX 31 reports.

Yolanda Marant, a representative for The Destiny Center, confirmed to FOX 31 that 65-year-old Josephine Eccles, the mother of the church's pastor Delono Straham, was shot and killed when a unknown gunman entered the church and began shooting.}

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Attack at a Church in Egypt Kills 7

"Three men in a car sprayed automatic gunfire into a crowd of churchgoers on Wednesday in the southern Egyptian town of Nag Hammadi, killing at least seven people as they left a midnight Mass for Coptic Christmas, security officials and the church bishop said." -Associated Press
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/07/world/middleeast/07egypt.html 

Church Shooting - Houston

http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpp/news/local/091205-market-street-swat-shooting

HOUSTON - Those weren't church bells ringing at the Market Street Baptist Church in Northeast Houston Saturday morning. It was gunfire ringing out just before 10 a.m.

What is the emotional trigger that causes a person to commit a crime? Specifically, what would have to happen to cause you or someone you know to be willing to take a person hostage and eventually take your own life? I hope that you are never able to come up with an answer to these questions. For me I pray that I am always able to look towards the Lord for strength even in times of trial.

1st Corinthians 10:13 (ESV) No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

Unfortunately crimes like this are becoming all too common in our churches across this country. A common trigger that most law enforcement officers would contribute to this action would be directly related to domestic problems within the home. To compound the problem issues tend to surface more during the holidays.

It is important to try to notice signs of aggression prior to a person committing them. Pastors should take this issue seriously and look at how their church counseling programs are being run.

Dry Tree vs Watered Tree

Happy Thanksgiving!

The video below is a demonstration showing how flammable a dry Christmas tree can be as opposed to a tree watered regularly. This test was conducted by the National Fire Protection Association and Underwriters Laboratories.

Action Point: 

Water your Christmas Tree Everyday!!

Gunfire in Church Parking Lot

Click for Article > Gunfire in Church Parking

"I could not believe anyone would want to air their differences in a church parking lot..I saw two men in the parking lot..One had been shot multiple times, and the other man was trying to talk on the cell phone...Since authorities had not yet arrived, I was concerned about my own safety and whether the shooter was still nearby."

What should your response be in a situation like this? The article mentions that Stone, who is the pastor of the church, “was concerned about my own safety and whether the shooter was still nearby”. Regardless of this fear he still responded to the church from his home prior to the police arriving. Who was the man on the phone in this article? Was he another victim or was he the perpetrator standing by willing to commit another crime? I applaud Stone for his willingness to respond and help those who were injured; however, I would have cautioned him to wait for the police to arrive to ensure the scene was safe. This is a common practice even for Emergency Medical Services all across the country. If a 911 call is initiated for an incident that may potentially be unsafe, incoming EMS units will stage at an appropriate distance away until police notify them that it is safe to proceed.

Think in advance about what you would do in a similar situation!