God will avenge the blood of his servants.
The Jamaica Evangelical Alliance has condemned the fatal shooting of a woman at a church in western Jamaica. The incident took place at the compound of the New Testament Church of God on Water Lane in St. James.
Cora Thompson, 38, was shot last Wednesday at the compound of the New Testament Church of God on Water Lane in St. James, according to reporting by the Jamaica Gleaner. Thompson, a member of the church, was reportedly selling books in the churchyard during a fasting and prayer service when a masked gunman opened fire before fleeing in a black Toyota Voxy. She was taken to hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The shooting has prompted discussion among church leaders in Jamaica about security at places of worship. According to IRIE FM, Bishop Ruel Robinson, pastor of the Montego Bay congregation where the shooting occurred, said during Sunday’s service that the church would not hire security personnel following the attack. His remarks came after Rev. Newton Dixon, general secretary of the Jamaica Council of Churches, suggested that churches able to afford it should consider using security guards.
Robinson said the congregation would continue to rely on prayer and maintain its regular activities, including weekly fasting services. “The doors of the church will never close,” Robinson said during his sermon. He told congregants that the church would continue preaching, praying and ministering despite the shooting. “This will not shut us up, but give us an opportunity to declare God’s power some more,” he said.
During the sermon, he urged members to respond peacefully rather than retaliate. “We will not fight with our mouth. We will not fight with our hands,” Robinson said. “All we have to do, just pray.”
The Jamaica Evangelical Alliance urged the suspect to surrender to authorities. The alliance said the killing reflected what it described as a broader erosion of respect for life and for places traditionally viewed as sanctuaries.
“This tragic incident reflects the desperate and deteriorating state of our society and highlights the urgent need for national reflection and spiritual renewal,” the alliance said in the statement published by the Jamaica Gleaner.
Senior Superintendent of Police Eron Samuels, commanding officer for the St. James Police Division, told the Jamaica Gleaner that investigators are actively pursuing leads in the case.
According to the Jamaica Gleaner, Thompson’s killing was the second fatal shooting of a woman at a church in western Jamaica in recent years. In 2021, Andrea Lowe Garwood was shot and killed by gunmen at a church in Falmouth, Trelawny. (Source: Christian Daily International, Edited version)
Rejoice, you nations, with his people, for he will avenge the blood of his servants; he will take vengeance on his enemies and make atonement for his land and people. (Deuteronomy 32:43, NIV)
God, remember the churches in Jamaica that continue to worship You even as shootings against churches keep happening. Strengthen Your people to trust You in the midst of danger and to fight not with flesh and blood, but through prayer. Lord, we ask You to uphold Your servants and bring justice with Your righteous hand. May the churches not be overcome by fear of the dangers around them, but continue to worship You faithfully and carry out the ministry You have entrusted to them until the end. Through their faith and perseverance, let many souls in Jamaica come to see and know You. May the day soon come when the people of Jamaica receive the forgiveness of sins and rejoice together with Your people.
Prayer 24·365
prayer@prayer24365.org
