By Gary Ogle
They came by the scores, perhaps by the hundreds to the portico at Bucyrus City Hall Thursday afternoon.
They came from in town and out of town. Some were family and friends of homicide victims Billy Jack Chatman, Gerald Lee Smith, Freelin Hensely and Darrell Lewis. Others never knew any of the victims or their families. They were city officials and city workers. They were people without jobs. They were pastors and churchgoers and some who haven’t darkened a church door in years, if ever. They were friends of one another and total strangers. Some were even Guardian Angels.
Some were there to offer support and others to receive it. But in the end they were all there for one thing and it wasn’t to understand the incomprehensible act that took the lives for four vulnerable residents. It wasn’t to angrily denounce the man accused of taking four lives within the very walls in which they lived.
They were there for healing from the hurt that opened deep wounds.
“My fellow citizens today our healing begins,” Mayor Jeff Reser told those assembled as he read from a prepared statement. “We come together to pray for divine healing and guidance for our community. We know healing cannot take place without God’s grace and we pray this His abundant grace be shed on the Bucyrus community.”
Several pastors were there at the request of the city administration for the community prayer gathering. One of them was Dan Rebon.
“God loves this city,” Rebon told the crowd who was oblivious to the television cameras. “His heart goes out to everyone that is hurting. He is the ultimate healer. God is not a Band-Aid. He’s a healer. He’s a restorer.”
When Rebon offered prayer he encouraged everyone to take the hand of those next to them. Sarah Lewis, daughter of Darrell Lewis, dropped to her knees with a friend, their heads bowed and hands of Guardian Angels on their shoulders.
“It means a lot to me. It’s good to see everybody here supporting all the people that lost their loved ones,” Sarah said later. “I’m never going to heal. I’m never going to heal but I’m sure time will make it easier.”
Dorinda Ruth came from Galion. She said she didn’t know any of the victims but was acquainted with some family members.
“Just to show my support to the families that lost loved ones,” Ruth said.
Asked where the community could go for healing she admitted she wasn’t sure. “This has thrown us all for a loop. I don’t really know.”
Father John Miller oversees parishes at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Bucyrus and St. Joseph Catholic Church in Galion. He challenged those assembled that the day not only needed to be one when healing began, but forgiveness as well.
Former Bucyrus Police Chief turned Methodist pastor Mike Corwin also addressed the throng. He said it was a day of choice and it wasn’t about being from a specific denomination or political persuasion.
“You can let it defeat you,” Corwin said. “Or you can come out swinging – in a nice way.”
What follows is Mayor Jeff Reser’s remarks in their entirety.
“Fellow Citizens of Bucyrus,
Our beloved community has been dealt a blow. Our peace has been shattered in a way that has shaken us to our core. We search for answers to the crimes that have been committed and we ask why such evil exists in our peaceful community. The problem of evil has been wrestled with for centuries but when it hits home it becomes very personal to all of us – but especially to the families of our four residents who lost their lives this week.
We extend our deepest sympathy to the families of Bill Jack Chatman, Freelin Hensley, Darrell Lewis and Jerry Smith and we pray that God will provide healing to you in your time of grief. We ask that fellow citizens be mindful of their grief and be ready to support them. We pray that, in time, healing and forgiveness comes not only to the families of the victims but also to our entire community.
Our Police Department has been working day and night to be able to compile the facts in this case and I am proud to be associated with such a professional group of men and women who care about this city in a deep, heartfelt way. I thank Chief Koepke for his leadership not only with the investigation but also with his calm demeanor when talking with the news media. You have represented our city well. When the peace of Bucyrus is shattered as we have witnessed this week you can see that this is taken personally by our entire Police Department as well as the entire city administration and staff. I would also like to thank Sheriff Scott Kent and his staff for a job well done.
My fellow citizens today our healing begins. We come together to pray for Divine healing and guidance for our community. We know that healing cannot take place without God’s grace ad we pray that his abundant grace be shed on the Bucyrus Community.
I ask your continued prayers for the families who grieve so deeply for lost loved ones, for our Police Department as well as for our city administration. May god continue to bless Bucyrus. Thank you.”