River Level Neighborhood Church Pastor Kevin Mangum on Sunday addressed a congregation nonetheless reeling from the emotional influence of a wreck that injured members of the church youth group and left a 15-year-old clinging to life.
Throughout the June 30 worship service livestreamed to tons of of viewers, Mangum up to date worshipers on the tragedy that occurred Saturday when one in every of their church vans was struck by one other car. Troopers charged that driver with DUI, however Mangum reserved his feedback for the injured college students and their households.
“Yesterday was a tragic day in the life of our church,” he stated, recounting the tragic particulars of the crash. Two teenagers stay hospitalized in Atlanta; one is on life assist and, in line with the pastor, “has no brain activity.”
“His body is being kept alive by life support,” Mangum stated.
The pastor of the non-denominational congregation in Demorest then informed congregants Sunday’s worship service was neither a press launch nor a memorial service.
“It’s a worship service where we come to get hope from a living God who can still do miracles.”
RELATED Pastor: Grateful for prayers after ‘traumatic’ church van crash
‘Praying for a miracle’
As Mangum spoke, he looked for hope to share from the scriptures.
“My Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, one day healed a man named Lazarus who had no brain activity or body activity for at least three days, and God rose him up, and we’re praying for a miracle for these families,” he stated.
Youth group members using in a van behind the one which was hit witnessed the accident.
“All of our students that witnessed that event and others that were driving by at the time are traumatized and went through a very serious, difficult time,” the pastor stated.
One of many adults within the wrecked van was a primary responder and helped with the preliminary emergency response.
On the high of Sunday’s service, Mangum stated he was informed by different first responders on the scene that “a few inches could have made a difference in a number of lives. So, starting out,” he stated, “we need to thank the Lord for what didn’t happen.”
The pastor then requested for prayers for everybody concerned, notably the 2 college students who stay hospitalized in Atlanta.
Trinity college students amongst injured
4 college students concerned within the wreck attend Trinity Classical College in Mt. Ethereal. The top of the non-public Christian College, Susan Ramsey, informed Now Habersham the wreck has considerably impacted their tight-knit neighborhood.
“These were kids who had just spent a weekend serving their community. That makes me both immensely proud of them and equally saddened that this is the way their weekend ended,” she stated.
Ramsey stated faculty employees and households have been “in constant prayer” because the accident and have been moved by the outpouring of neighborhood assist.
“To see the outpouring of love and prayer from even those in the community who are not familiar with these students has been beautiful to see, and I am sure that all of those involved would agree,” she stated.
Lengthy-lasting influence
Each Ramsey and Mangum expressed the tragedy can have long-lasting impacts. Trauma counselors had been on-site throughout Sunday’s church service at River Level. Each Ramsey and Mangum stated continued prayers are wanted.
“Christ has called us to bear one another’s burdens. Our goal is to do just that through prayer and support for the families of Trinity and River Point Community Church,” stated Ramsey.
Mangum thanked the primary responders and regulation enforcement officers who responded to the scene. He additionally publicly thanked the medical employees who handled the scholars at numerous hospitals following the crash. As of late Saturday, all however the two in Atlanta had been launched from the hospital.
The pastor requested the congregation to “continue to pray for all of them.”
SEE ALSO
Pastor: Grateful for prayers after ‘traumatic’ church van crash
“Well bless their hearts.”
