Charleston church sees community grow, diversify after shooting


It's been four months since Dylann Roof allegedly killed nine people at a historically black church in Charleston, South Carolina. In catching up with the Emanuel AME Church as it tries to heal, The New York Times found the community is growing.
On some nights, more than 100 people have participated in the Bible study. Before the shooting, the group typically maxed out at a dozen. Many members have welcomed the racially diverse crowd, which at Sunday services is a mix of locals and visitors who want to show solidarity.
"What I see is a cross-generational, cross-racial future for a church that is no longer restricted to its former self," said Rev. Norvel Goff Sr., the church's interim pastor.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The Times' report is also a reminder that the recovery process isn't so straightforward for the community. Some members expressed concern over how Goff is distributing the church's $2 million in donations. And though some relatives of victims publicly forgave Roof in the aftermath of the shooting, other churchgoers don't feel the same way about the suspected gunman.
"If I have to forgive him to go to heaven, I'm going to end up in hell with him," said Willi Glee.
Read the full dispatch here.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Julie Kliegman is a freelance writer based in New York. Her work has appeared in BuzzFeed, Vox, Mental Floss, Paste, the Tampa Bay Times and PolitiFact. Her cats can do somersaults.
-
Economists fear US inflation data less reliable
speed read The Labor Department is collecting less data for its consumer price index due to staffing shortages
-
Trump may team with a tech company to create a database of Americans
In the Spotlight A recent report indicated that Trump is partnering with the tech company Palantir
-
Trump says Putin vowed retaliation for Kyiv strike
speed read The Russian president intends to respond to Ukraine's weekend drone strikes on Moscow's warplanes
-
'King of the Hill' actor shot dead outside home
speed read Jonathan Joss was fatally shot by a neighbor who was 'yelling violent homophobic slurs,' says his husband
-
DOJ, Boulder police outline attacker's confession
speed read Mohamed Sabry Soliman planned the attack for a year and 'wanted them all to die'
-
Assailant burns Jewish pedestrians in Boulder
speed read Eight people from the Jewish group were hospitalized after a man threw Molotov cocktails in a 'targeted act of violence'
-
Driver rams van into crowd at Liverpool FC parade
speed read 27 people were hospitalized following the attack
-
2 Israel Embassy staff shot dead at DC Jewish museum
speed read The suspected gunman chanted 'free, free Palestine'
-
Bombing of fertility clinic blamed on 'antinatalist'
speed read A car bombing injured four people and damaged a fertility clinic and nearby buildings in Palm Springs, California
-
Suspect charged after 11 die in Vancouver car attack
Speed Read Kai-Ji Adam Lo drove an SUV into a crowd at the Lapu Lapu Day festival
-
Kenya arrests alleged ant smugglers
speed read Two young Belgians have been charged for attempting to smuggle ants out of the country to exotic pet buyers