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Prayer vigil for Norwich's Good Samaritan
 2008: Church leaders and street pastors in Norwich held a vigil at the site where Good Samaritan Frank McGarahan was killed in the city.
The 45-year-old father-of-two died after intervening in an attack on a Lithuanian man in the city centre in the early hours of Sunday, September 28.
About 40 people braved the cold and rain last night to take part in a vigil at Guildhall Hill and to walk and pray for Mr McGarahan's family and to call for peace in the city.
The event was organised by the Norfolk Street Pastors, who spend Friday and Saturday nights in the city providing a listening ear and kindness to late night revellers.
The Street Pastors' co-ordinator Val Dodsworth said: “We felt the church should respond to this terrible event to show that we care about what happens to our city and to its people.
“We are all horrified at what happened and we thought about what we could do and came up with the idea to hold this vigil and to walk and pray at various places around Guildhall Hill for Mr McGarahan.”
One of those taking part was Kenneth Lynch, the minister at the Princes Street United Reformed Church in Norwich.
He said: “We wanted to pray for all those involved in this tragedy - for Mr McGarahan's family, for those who lost a loved one, and for the young people involved, who will have to live with the violence for their rest of their lives.
“I have only been in Norwich the last three years, and I always thought it was a very peaceful city, so I was shocked when I heard what had happened.”
Jill Gower, who runs a ministry called Call to Prayer in Norwich, said church leaders had to respond to the tragedy.
“This man lost his life in this horrible way when he went to defend another man,” she said.
Pc Paul Young, from Norfolk police, also attended the event, and said: “This is my patch and when something like this happens we all feel it. I was not on duty when it happened but I have spent a lot of time in Guildhall Hill, and I have never known anything like this tragedy before.”
As reported, Tom Cowles, 21, and Ben Cowles, 20, of Beaumont Road, Costessey, have been charged with the murder of Mr McGarahan. They will next appear before Norwich Crown Court on Friday, October 17.
Article and picture courtesy of www.eveningnews24.co.uk
Please note: Norfolk Street Pastors will not be holding a further Commissioning Service in October this year as was originally planned. It has now been decided that all new S/Ps will be authorised at the Annual Service in March 2009. Any queries to Val Dodsworth
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| | | Diana Stephenson (Guest) | 08/10/2008 22:25 | Well done. i am glad to hear of this. No doubt our "good Samaritan" will feature in many a sermon, as he does in my article for this website. "Being the change you want to see in the world" is not an easy option, but it is the only way to peace. Blessed are the peacemakers.
| | | | Theresa (Guest) | 09/10/2008 09:36 | My prayers are that such a tragedy will bring good. The pain which the family who have lost their loved one must be indescibable, and the pain for the other family will go on for a long time. Diana, your words 'Blessed are the Peacemakers' is so comforting. I thank God that our lovely Norfolk has a wealth of committed people/organisations, one of which is 'Call to Prayer' who cover our region. Love is in action here in our lovely Norwich...
| | | | Alan Pimlott (Guest) | 09/10/2008 20:41 | My prayers go to the familys at this time, may they know the lords peace and comfort and his strength to guide and help you, through this sad loss. Such a shame that when one does something good for his community one's life is take away from this world.
| | | | Steve Rees (guest, Norwich) (Guest) | 13/10/2008 15:58 | My daughter works for Barclays Wealth, (Frank's company). She knows him well, and helps run the Singapore office. She phoned me to say that clients in Singapore have been phoning her about the terrible news. Sadly Norwich's name is a global event.My heart and Christian Love goes out to Frank's family and all those involved.
| | | | Terence Gallant (Guest) | 13/10/2008 16:56 | I was at the Prayer meeting last Tuesday on the streets of central Norwich. It is appalling what is sometimes happening in Norwich. We are praying for Frank's family at this time and also for the young men who are believed to have done this and their families. We pray that the Good News of the Gospel will reach all of them, bringing forgiveness and a new relationship wjth our Lord Jesus Christ. My family have lived in Norwich for 450 years. I am a missionary to Eastern Europe and know Lithuania well and have preached in many pentecostal churhces there and thus I am praying for the outcome of this sad event as it effects that country and its people. May many come to salvation through this as the Lord works all things according to His perfect will. God Bless
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