COLORADO SPRINGS — Several religious and faith-based organizations gathered Sunday at the Colorado Springs Christian School to pray for the victims, witnesses, first responders and Colorado Springs community in the shadow of the Nov. 27 Planned Parenthood shooting.

“This was a time just to come together,” said Colorado Family Action policy director Sarah Zagorski. “This was not a political matter at all.”

Colorado Family Action, a policy group focused on applying “founding principles and faith to policy and culture,” along with the Colorado Prayer Caucus, a legislative group that aims to preserve free expression of Judeo-Christian principles, were among the organizers of the hour-long prayer vigil, though there didn’t appear to be anyone present from the 26-member Colorado Prayer Caucus.

There was little talk about abortion or the heated disputes over firearms that have taken place since the rampage. Officials have charged Robert L. Dear Jr., the alleged gunman who proclaimed his guilt in court, with killing a University of Colorado at Colorado Springs police officer, one of the first responders to the call, and two civilians in the shooting. Nine others at the clinic were wounded before Dear surrendered to police.

One pastor, however, prayed for the employees of Planned Parenthood.

“We pray for those who work at Planned Parenthood and those who use its services,” Pastor Phil Eberhart said in his address. He prayed for God to lead everybody toward righteousness.

In the weeks since the shooting, the debate over Planned Parenthood — its supporters say its fiercest critics are inciting threats of violence against the health care provider, while opponents charge that undercover videos depict unimaginable horrors are taking place at the clinics — has raged in Colorado and across the nation.

State Rep. JoAnn Windholz, R-Commerce City, said Planned Parenthood was the instigator of the shooting in a Facebook post earlier this month. “Violence begets violence. So (Planned Parenthood), YOU STOP THE VIOLENCE INSIDE YOUR WALLS,” she wrote.

In response, Emily’s List, an organization supporting pro-choice women candidates, said on Friday it would try to unseat Windholz in next year’s election.

Declaring he was a “warrior for the babies,” Dear proclaimed, “I’m guilty!” during his first court appearance on Wednesday. “Seal the truth, huh? Kill the babies. That’s what Planned Parenthood does,” Dear said in court. He went on to ask the court if the babies that were to be aborted the day of the shooting could be added to the list of wounded.

Colorado Springs City Council President and former state Sen. Keith King, R-Colorado Springs, led the prayer vigil and said it was “important that the pro-life community come together and say that we don’t respect the shooter for what he did.”

“We wanted to bring a pro-life message that nobody deserves to have their lives taken,” King told The Colorado Statesman following the prayer vigil. “We deplore that violence.”

Prayers from various religious leaders sought healing for victims, first responders and the community.

“Keep us focused on that You created all,” Pastor Scott Bottoms said. “You are the life-giver.”

The turnout, around 60 people, was good, King said, though Joseph Martone, who proudly displayed his anti-abortion beliefs on a sign on his walker, said he thought the entire auditorium should have been packed.

“I’m completely pro-life,” Martone said. “It’s important to care about everybody affected. Some people wanted me to cover up my sign here, and I said I couldn’t do that.”

Martone said he gets lots of attention for promoting his beliefs with his sign.

“People all have different opinions, and that’s OK.” he said.

— info@coloradostatesman.com