10 minutes with … Al Meredith

(UNDATED) A decade ago, several hundred people at Wedgwood Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, watched in horror as a gunman released 200 rounds of ammunition into a church youth rally, killing seven and injuring seven more before taking his own life. On March 8, First Baptist Church of Maryville, Ill., was the scene of […]

(RNS1-JAN31) ``American Islam: The Struggle for the Soul of a Religion'' by Paul M. Barrett 
examines the lives of a handful of diverse U.S. Muslims. For use with RNS-10-MINUTES, 
transmitted Jan. 31, 2007. Religion News Service photo courtesy of Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

(RNS1-JAN31) “American Islam: The Struggle for the Soul of a Religion” by Paul M. Barrett
examines the lives of a handful of diverse U.S. Muslims. For use with RNS-10-MINUTES,
transmitted Jan. 31, 2007. Religion News Service photo courtesy of Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

(UNDATED) A decade ago, several hundred people at Wedgwood Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, watched in horror as a gunman released 200 rounds of ammunition into a church youth rally, killing seven and injuring seven more before taking his own life.

On March 8, First Baptist Church of Maryville, Ill., was the scene of similar carnage when a gunman shot and killed the Rev. Fred Winters in the pulpit during his Sunday sermon.


Wedgwood’s pastor, the Rev. Al Meredith, has spent the past decade answering various forms of the same question: Where was God in the Wedgwood shooting? On Sunday (March 15), he preached in Maryville’s pulpit.

“You’re never going to get over this,” Meredith told the grieving congregation, “but by God’s grace you’re going to get through it.” Some answers have been edited for length and clarity:

Q: How did the shooting 10 years ago impact your church?

A: It called us to deeper commitment and more prayer; to hold onto others more closely; and to cling to the truth of God’s word, which gives meaning when life falls apart.

Q: What was the healing process like?

A: It’s still going on. It’s long and laborious, continual, cyclical. You think you’ve dealt with it and then another crying attack starts. There are people now just getting into counseling who were kids when it happened, and issues arising that have their roots in the shooting.

Q: What is life like now for you and those who were affected by the shooting?

A: Life goes on eventually. The good thing about things like this weekend is that one of the last stages in grief recovery is when you’re thankful that you can provide help and comfort for those going through similar experiences.


Q: What steps has your church taken to secure yourselves after the shooting?

A: We pray harder. If we had had an armed guard at the door, there just would’ve been another dead police officer. What good would having armed guards at the door do? Screen people? We’re having enough trouble getting people to come through the doors. I don’t want to set up more barriers.

Q: What did you hear from the people at First Baptist in Maryville?

A: They were still in shock. Some were in denial; some mistakenly thought things would go on just the way they were. I had to warn them that things would change. They’ve already changed. They were just grief-stricken and sorrowful at the death of their pastor, wondering what hope they would make of this mess.

Q: What message did you bring them?

A: Romans 15:13: “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” I shared stories from our situation, how God had given us hope.

Q: What advice did you have as they start the healing process?

A: One was that things are going to change. Two: Jesus never changes. Three: Now more than ever, it’s going to take commitment on their part to make it through.

Q: What does a traumatic shooting do to a sanctuary?

A: You can look at it as a killing field. Or you can look at it as holy ground where martyrs shed their blood, and go back and reclaim it as soon as possible for God’s kingdom.

Q: People have asked you where God was 10 years ago at Wedgwood. Where was God in Maryville?


A: Same place as ours. God is on the throne. That office is not up for reelection. He knows what it’s like to have his only son tortured and murdered. He grieves with his people. He’s a broken-hearted parent. I don’t understand all the whys, but I’ve learned to resign my position as general manager of the universe and let God be God.

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