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Holy Week resources and reflections

North Carolina congregation still reeling after Sunday-morning armed robbery

LOUISVILLE – Nerves are still shaken at North Carolina’s Ridgeview Church following an armed robbery during Sunday service more than two weeks ago.

“Everyone is not over it, including myself,” said Wayne Tipton, the church’s clerk of session. Since it happened, “it’s just been a nervous type thing at the church.”

The small Bakersville-area congregation of about 16 members had just finished the Sunday school lesson on April 13 and the pastor had gotten up when three young men entered the church demanding that everyone hand over cell phones, billfolds, and purses.

Armed with two guns and wearing masks and rubber gloves, the robbers gathered up the goods and even took the offering collected — about $370. “I was frozen to my seat,” Tipton recalled. He said the robbers tied up his son with duct tape and “I believe they were going to tie us all up, but it took too long.”

The assailants exited the church, but one came back and shot through the floor beside a 16-year-old girl, Tipton said. The bullet pierced into the floor about seven inches.

As the robbers fled they left the church door open, giving Tipton a chance to see the color of their getaway car and Pastor Brian Tipton a glimpse at the model of the vehicle.

Church members were able to call the police on one cell phone that wasn’t taken and law enforcement arrived shortly thereafter, said Wayne Tipton, who is Brian Tipton’s cousin.

He said with the information the church provided the police caught the suspects within 25 minutes of the robbery.

The Associated Press reports that the three men — brothers Andrew Ryan Deyton and Josiah Jacob Deyton, and Jonathan Neal Koniak — face multiple armed robbery charges for the incident.

“The Lord was with us that day,” Tipton said. “We’ve just got our faith in the Lord.”

Also supporting the congregation through its ordeal is the Presbytery of Western North Carolina and other area churches.

“The first Sunday after it happened I attended, the interim associate presbyter attended” and about six people from another area Presbyterian church, said Bobbi White, general presbyter for the Presbytery of Western
North  Carolina. “There were also a couple of people this Sunday that
attended to be with them and we will probably continue that through the month,” she said.

Additionally, “they have gotten a boatload of cards,” White said, adding that the presbytery put the church out on its prayer request list. “I think they will continue to get cards and notes and letters as we continue to pray. … People are really trying to be supportive.”
 

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