Carthage Methodist Church held a service Saturday evening to help the town recover from the tragic events at Pinelake nursing home and to remember the eight victims who lost their lives.

Lee Rorie and his wife Betty, who run Carthage Saw and Mower, came to the "Service of Remembrance and Healing" thinking about a young man who works for them.

"Our chief mechanic Ricky Brown lost his grandmother, Lillian Dunn," Betty Rorie said. "She was 89 years old."

Volunteer police officers handled traffic outside the old church building. Inside, scripture and prayer gave way to testimony as all who wished to speak were invited to come forward and have their say.

A director of nursing at Pinelake thanked law-enforcement officers and community support agencies for the help they gave.

The sanctuary stilled as another woman made her way to the front. Margaret Neal said her daughter, Wanda Gay Stewart, had left a violent and abusive marriage to take refuge in her mother's house from her husband, Robert Stewart. On the Sunday a week before, he allegedly came with guns to wreak havoc at Pinelake where she worked. But his rage was not his wife's fault, her mother said, wracked with sobs and trembling with grief.

The Rories were moved by this mother and her plea for understanding and justice for Wanda Stewart.

"We heard from her mother telling everyone how heartbroken they are," Rorie said. "She said her daughter wasn't to blame. It is a sad, sad thing that victims are getting any blame. People say, 'Why didn't she leave him before?' or 'Why didn't she go out and confront him that day?' It is so easy to say what the mistakes were after the game is over, isn't it?"

The Carthage Chancel Choir sang "O God Our Help in Ages Past," and the congregation lit candles together as a symbol of sharing spiritual light.

"We all had candles," Rorie said. "We lifted our candles in each pew and walked to the front. I thought it very moving to see all parts of the community brought together. I hope it brought some peace to the director of nursing and to Mrs. Stewart's family."

As people moved down the aisles to the front they stopped to hug Neal. Each one then picked up a small black stone to take away as a "stone of remembrance" for March 29, 2009. Mount Olive A.M.E Zion's choir sang a choral benediction to the service, which ended with more hugs, handshakes and pats on backs.

Rorie said it was a "wonderful service." She still shudders at the thought of a man gunning down old people who could not defend themselves.

"They were as helpless as children," she said.

Contact John Chappell at 783-5841 or by e-mail at jchappell@thepilot.com.