Although none of the victims were members of the Church of Christ, they made an impact on the 50 people at the service, said Monty Daffern, director of campus ministries.
“I know that many of our students were feeling the impact of the accident — the loss,” he said.
The intent of the night was to remember the students and help the college students in the congregation through their grief.
“Our goal tonight is not so much to memorialize those who were lost, because I think it would be an insult to them if I tried to do a eulogy for them, as much as I want our students to know how much we love them, how much God loves them,” Daffern said.
The evening started with the singing of praise songs and shared thoughts by some of the pastors.
Daffern said it has been a rough week helping students deal with the losses on campus.
“I was telling my staff today, just do the best you can in trying to help anybody that’s hurting,” he said. “It’s kind of hard because we’re in it as well.”
During the service, Daffern touched on many of the feelings that the audience was experiencing the audience.
He did find one thing to be thankful for in Stillwater this week.
“I am thankful that there wasn’t enough orange ribbon in Stillwater,” he said, referring to the orange paper ribbons everyone was given upon entering the sanctuary.
Brandi Roy, college ministry intern and family relations and child development senior, said the news of the crash affected her deeply.
“I knew that kids within our university center program knew (the victims) really well, and I knew that it was going to be a really hard thing for them,” she said. “I knew that my responsibility wasn’t towards myself anymore, it was to reach out to college students around me.”
Dustin Crawford, sociology senior, had just returned from a trip to Tulsa Saturday night, when he turned on the television and heard the news of the crash.
“It took me by surprise when I first heard it — it’s not something you expect at all. When it’s something that hits this close to home it really upsets you,” he saidDaffern left the congregation with some final thoughts about dealing with their grief.
“Give it all to God,” he said. “Go where your heart leads you.”
Loading ...
All Articles