I wanted to share my wife's account of the vigil Monday. She walked by beforehand while running errands with the boys, and said she saw Burris talking to reporters while PC was eating food from a bag. She said that some of the new memorial/vigil materials neighbors left early that morning had migrated in front of the church by the time she had walked by.
When she came back later, people were filtering in, and as the vigil time approached, people moved inside. The minister called things to order, and he acknowledges the complicated situation. He said a prayer and began speaking about Hasanni, the community, the search, the heavy-heartedness of it, and the comfort churches can bring those hurt or lost. He played the organ and a soloist led everyone in singing Amazing Grace. Everyone was prompted to get up and form a circle, passed out small candles, and lit them. There was a circle at the front, including JC, PC, TS, family, and others. The rest of the attendees (about 35 or so) stood in the pews for the prayer time. The press took pictures and video at the back of the church. Burris himself left before the service, she believes, after grandstanding with the press beforehand. She said JC signed the message board, and a few others did.
Prayers began, with deacons and elders from the church, the pastor and attendees calling out prayers. She said some had the undertone of JC and LR's perspective, and some had the undertone of the perspective of parental involvement. Some covered both ends (one she mentioned by a church deacon or elder said something like, "It can appear our prayers have gone unanswered...but we pray you bring him back to the community, able to be fully restored and rejoin us, or, if he's in your bosom right now...").
Basically, she said a lot was in the nuance. Some prayers that the police would be ethical, some prayers that people would not let their suspicions or rumors get in the way of searching and finding him, some prayers that if there are those who know where he is they would find conscience, some prayers to receive his soul, some prayers that covered all bases. She said it was easy to differentiate those with one agenda or another, but she was raised Catholic. She wondered if some of the more religious language would be lost on non-religious people (like "receiving his soul," "in your bosom," "reaching for stones" (with the implication of casting them), etc. (The area does have a lot of New Age or nonreligious people along with those who have some faith.) The last prayer was given by JC, and my wife couldn't totally make out what she was saying. She said it was on par with the same high pitched warbling, for about 20 seconds, and she abruptly stopped the prayer (my wife felt without really completing but she can't be sure since it was hard to understand).
She said then the pastor closed the prayer, and said there were announcements. Courtney Burris and t-shirt lady went to the front, and she said CB seemed like the orchestrater. She thanked everyone for coming, mentioning how the support was doubling each week at the vigils. My wife said they had the water bottle in the foyer to collect donations but it looked practically empty. CB mentioned the money all will go to a new bank account they're setting up, and reassured everyone all the money will go straight to the search so "there's no need for concern." (My wife said there were a lot of statements like that in general, acknowledging negative feelings without outright saying them or confronting them.)
T-shirt lady then mentioned the search will continue, and that Saturday is the next slated search. She said, "We'll be searching at..." and seemed lost, looking to CB for the next location and making some acknowledgement that she wasn't sure where it would be. CB said they will be searching at Lake Elizabeth, encouraging people to sign up for the volunteer list in the back with their e-mail and phone number to be contacted for the next event(s). She said CB is a very beautiful, put-together, articulate woman who seemed like she was the new coordinator of the small volunteer effort (which so far has seemed to be family, t-shirt group and a few friends perhaps). She said CB had a thinly veiled agenda and was conveying it in practically every sentence.
She said when CB finished, everyone sang "It Is Well With My Soul," after a church official explained the background of the song (written by a man who lost his family at sea apparently). Then she said the pastor spoke briefly and prayed, and mentioned there were refreshments in the back room for people.
I got a chance to walk by the area tonight. The dark spot you're seeing on the Google street map is just patched concrete and there aren't any uncovered manholes.
