ARVADA — The families of two youth missionaries killed early Sunday first bared their grief for a congregation Wednesday, then forgave the parents of the man who killed their children.
“It’s sad for us, but they are rejoicing with the Lord,” said Peter Warren, director of the Youth With a Mission program he described for the congregants as a “Christian Peace Corps.”
The two-hour service at Arvada’s Faith Bible Chapel was a mixture of tears and laughter as family members, friends and fellow missionaries offered tributes to victims Tiffany Johnson, 26, and Philip Crouse, 24.
After the service, Ron and Loretta Murray, the parents of gunman Matthew Murray, met at an undisclosed location in separate gatherings with the Johnson and Crouse families for about an hour each.
“The two families prayed together and wept together. The Crouse and Johnson families offered the Murrays their love and Matthew Murray their forgiveness,” said Casey Nikoloric, the Murray family spokeswoman.
“The entire Murray family is overwhelmed by this act of Christian love and forgiveness,” said Philip Abeyta, pastor of His Love Fellowship Church and Matthew Murray’s uncle. “What an incredible example of the power of God’s love.”
During the service, Johnson’s uncle Andy Ronchak said that the Murray family “did nothing wrong. There is no place for condemnation or shame for those who love Christ Jesus.”
Nearly 2,000 say goodbye
Tears and joy filled the service that brought together nearly 2,000 people — some from as far away as Australia and many of them youth missionaries — to remember the victims.
Johnson and Crouse “embodied the spirit of YWAM by working with all their hearts to help the poor and the needy,” Warren said.
But accepting the Lord wasn’t always the case with Crouse, who was described as a troubled young man in his late teens.
“He was dark and brooding, hiding his insecurities behind a perpetual snarl,” said an uncle, John Steiner.
When Crouse “laid down his life for God, the transformation was as complete as it was remarkable,” Steiner said.
Crouse’s family is “struck by the irony” that at one time he might have committed violence and how he died “at the hands of another troubled young man,” Steiner said.
A friend recalled how Crouse loved the challenge of making things out of nothing, such as the wooden box he fashioned from scraps for his mother for Christmas.
Crouse’s father, Eugene, thanked the community and the Arvada Police Department for “overwhelming support — more than I could ever imagine.”
He then addressed his son directly:
“Phil, you were your biological father’s son, but today — today you are your Heavenly Father’s son,” he said.
One of the wounded attends
Several times, those injured at the YWAM dorm near Faith Bible Chapel — Charlie Blanch and Dan Griebenow — were included in remarks. Blanch, who was wounded in the leg, attended the service. Griebenow underwent surgery Tuesday to remove a bullet in his neck.
Reading from Johnson’s journal, Jessica Warren quoted an entry “that so captures who she is.” Johnson wrote that “it’s only God’s job to judge the heart, and it is our job to love people.”
Petra Russel said Johnson loved to travel and planned to visit Japan in the fall. Most of all, Russel said, she will remember Johnson’s “honesty, her hope, her prayer, her courage, her faith and how she would never give up.”
“I pray you’re having a rock ‘n’ roll dance party with the angels,” Russel said.
Johnson’s uncle Rick Ronchak recalled her “childlike heart and dimples the size of potholes.”
Her hope, he said, “was to change the world by loving other people. The world is full of hurting people. The world needs more Tiffanys.”
Lt. Gov. Barbara O’Brien spoke on behalf of Gov. Bill Ritter, who is in Iraq.
“The state’s heart is broken, and we weep with you,” O’Brien said of herself and Colorado first lady Jeannie Ritter, who also attended the service.
O’Brien added that it is crucial “to continue to work with the troubled souls in our communities.”
Information from 9News was used in this report.
Ann Schrader: 303-278-3217 or aschrader@denverpost.com
