Charleston's Mother Emanuel Opens Her Arms -- Say Amen

I just caught the ending of the Washington Post‘s livestream of the first Sunday service at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina — known in the area as “Mother Emanuel” — since the horrific shooting on Wednesday night that claimed the lives of nine innocent people, including the pastor, Rev. Clementa Pinckney, who was also a state senator.

The building is lovely, with dark-wood pews and a wraparound balcony, stained-glass windows and an elaborate raised pulpit (the pulpit being the centerpiece of many non-Catholic churches). Two murals flank the huge stained-glass window in the center, one depicting the Crucified Christ on the Cross, and the other, the Resurrected Christ rising from the Cross.

The man speaking from the pulpit — who may have been Rev. Norvel Goff, the church’s presiding elder — wore a dignified vestment, and the congregation was in its Sunday best (I suspect it wasn’t just for the special occasion). And there was a small cross, flanked by candles, in the place an altar would be — and a railing around the area.

The service concluded with a profession of faith, nearly identical to ours (given by a woman in a black suit and a Roman collar), then a doxology and a benediction, and a traditional hymn.

Listening to the congregants and the families of the victims speaking to the media this week, and especially the impact statements given by the families at the shooter’s hearing, the message of love and forgiveness was overwhelming. From a CNN story:

On Friday, Roof appeared at a bond hearing. Families of the victims addressed him and said they forgave him.

That message was echoed by Arthur Hurd, the husband of victim Cynthia Hurd. He’s in the Merchant Marines and arrived in Charleston on Saturday.

“This is all surreal but what I can say to that young man is that in time I will forgive you,” Hurd told CNN affiliate WCIV. “I won’t move past this but I will forgive you. But I hope for the rest of your life, however long or short that may be, you stop and play that tape over and over and over again in your head and see the sheer terror and pain you put purely innocent people through. …”

“I would love to hate you but hate’s not in me. If I hate you I’m no better than you.”

Whatever Rev. Pinckney was doing with his congregation, he was doing it right.

He will have his reward.

Say Amen.