Eyes were closed. Heads and chins were lowered. Several people clasped their hands in front of their mouths, leaning forward in reflection.
At times, there was no sound for seconds, even minutes on end – just the occasional shuffling of footsteps of those rising to light a candle in remembrance toward the front.
A pipe organ and oboe provided instrumental music. Then, a chime rang three times.
About 100 residents attended a community vigil Tuesday evening at the Community of Christ Temple in Independence.
The vigil was an opportunity for community members of all faiths to reflect on the recent allegations of the Mohler family sex crimes, even though their names weren’t mentioned inside the sanctuary.
“It’s good to be together, especially in times of uncertainty and loss. It’s good to be together in this round, warm place of beauty on a cold, rainy night,” said Carolyn Brock, a spiritual formation minister at Community of Christ. “We come with questions, diverse emotions and different needs.”
Residents each brought their own turmoil and experiences with them, and the silence helped provide comfort and peace in busy, everyday lives, said Brad Speaks, president of Speaks Family Legacy Chapels and a Community of Christ pastor.
Lighting a candle, Speaks said, is a different experience for each person, with some people pausing in prayer after their lighting while others immediately returned to their seats. He said symbolism exists with the sharing of light in a dark world of allegations.
Speaks said he is “acquainted with” David Mohler, 52, a Lamoni, Iowa, resident who had worked for Graceland University for 27 years and had served as a Community of Christ lay minister. In Tuesday evening’s gathering, Speaks said, he believed many were praying for the Mohler family, as well as the alleged victims.
All of those charged in the Mohler case remain innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
“It’s just kind of upsetting to have something like this fall out of the sky,” Speaks said. “I’m upset about the victims. I’m upset if it turns out to not be true – that’s still kind of in the back of my mind since I know him.”
With about 250,000 members and congregations in more than 50 nations, the Mohler sex crimes case is now international, just one week after initial charges were filed. Linda Booth, Community of Christ’s director of communications, said she has received e-mails and phone calls from colleagues in Russia, South Australia and the British Isles.
“The common thing that they’re saying is, ‘We’re praying together,’” Booth said. “People come with a wide variety of emotions and a wide variety of understanding, but we all come with a common need for God’s grace. This story has traveled far and wide and has been disturbing to a lot of people.”
