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Tragedy Hits Cincinnati:  Crossroads Church Performer Dies During Christmas Performance

Orginally published on Monday, December 22, 2008 at 6:42 AM
by Todd Rhoades


Tragedy struck Crossroads Church in Cincinnati, as a 23 year old woman, Keri Shryock, fell 25 feet to her death during one of the church's Christmas shows last Wednesday. The fall happened during the opening performance in front of thousands of people. The 10,000-member church has canceled the remaining 10 performances of "Awaited" out of respect for all of those involved and to facilitate the grieving and recovery process.

According to an article in The Christian Post, police have concluded that the fatal fall was an accident caused by an equipment failure...

More from the Christian Post article:

During Wednesday’s performance, Shryock and two other performers were making an ascent on ropes as they played the three wise men on the journey to Bethlehem. They were approaching a star when Shryock fell headfirst to the concrete floor.

“Toward the ending of the song she came loose,” Daniel Doepke, 55, of Middletown, told The Cincinnati Enquirer. “I can’t describe how heart-wrenching it was, her fall to a hard concrete surface.”

Natalie Hastings, a spokeswoman for the church, told AP, “I know the performers wore some kind of harness and they got some professional training especially to do this.”

Shryock had some gymnastics training and was excited about performing the rope act, said Melissa Davish, a friend and former gymnastics club teammate at Bowling Green State University, to AP.

While the remaining performances have been canceled, Shryock’s parents have encouraged the church to continue with a Christmas experience so that people would hear the message of Jesus and “because that’s the way Keri would have wanted it.”

Would you take a moment to pray for Keri’s family, and the Crossroads family today?  Maybe you could take time to write a prayer in our comments section for them.

Thanks,

Todd


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  There are 12 Comments:

  • Posted by ckincincy
    Monday, December 22, 2008 at 8:07 AM

    The sad part about this was the local paper had to remove the ability to comment on the article because of how mean and anti-religion the comments were.

  • Posted by Brian L
    Monday, December 22, 2008 at 10:29 AM

    Lord,

    I can only imagine how hard this has to be for Keri’s family.  Please send Your Spirit to bring comfort and encouragement that can only come from You.

  • Posted by Peter Hamm
    Monday, December 22, 2008 at 11:19 AM

    Lord,

    bring comfort to those suffering right now. Spread your healing love around in a big way to this family this Christmas.

  • Posted by
    Monday, December 22, 2008 at 11:19 AM

    Lord, please be with the Shryock family as they grief the lost of their daughter, sister, loved one.

  • Posted by Tim Irwin
    Monday, December 22, 2008 at 12:53 PM

    God, we pray your peace and your presence for the Shryrock family, and for Keri’s church family, too. Amen.

  • Posted by
    Monday, December 22, 2008 at 8:00 PM

    Father, we ask You to be near and present as this family comes to grips with the loss of their precious one. Help them to sense your presence even in this time of deep grief, and loss. Take their confusion and pain, and bring them peace.

    Amen

  • Posted by
    Monday, December 22, 2008 at 9:30 PM

    Father,
    Keri’s family loves her so much, and now they grieve in that love. Father, we ask you to give Keri’s whole family a peace that can only come from you.

    Somehow, help them to celebrate her life with the knowledge that she was doing a thing she truely enjoyed.
    Amen

  • Posted by Cindy K
    Tuesday, December 23, 2008 at 8:52 AM

    I pray for this girl’s family, as she rests in the arms of Jesus.  What a sad, horrible tragedy.  I can’t even imagine the depth of her family’s sorrow.

    And I want to say that I ask this following question with the greatest of respect.  It is just that I am honestly, sincerely puzzled.

    Why would they even attempt the same kind of entertainment that a circus performs in a Church?  Why does it seem like the the newest fad is to produce bigger, better, Los Vegas style shows?

    I don’t mean to condemn the good people of Crossroads Church, but I’ve watched this trend, and it worries me.

    I am absolutely certain that every thought was given for the safety and well being of all their performers - but I still don’t quite understand the showmanship.

    Perhaps this is not the place for this conversation - or maybe this is exactly the place that it should be.

    My heart is broken for that young woman’s family whose only solace can be that again, she rests in the arms of her Lord.

  • Posted by
    Monday, December 29, 2008 at 1:53 PM

    My prayers are with the family and church during this time of tragedy. I pray for God’s will to be done and for God to strengthen the family in this hour of bereavement…

    Cindy K,
    Who knows why many today are attempting and using these means of performances… I pray this is a wake-up call and I pray that this type of tragedy would be prevented in the future…

    I would leave this discussion on this note: “When the churches are afraid to teach what the Bible says, the church would resort to entertaining the people...” quoted by Louis Farrakhan… (Maybe what Louis Farrakhan quoted has some value…)

  • Posted by
    Monday, March 30, 2009 at 2:12 PM

    I was a regular attending member of Crossroads Community Church when I lived in Cincinnati and I loved what they were about !!!
    The showman ship that these people are questioning was always a thing that I admired. It WAS LIKE AN ALARM going off in my head when I was there. I always left with an amazing feeling of the love and power of Jesus Christ and it was not just because of the unique way they spread the word. Yes it was new and different but it made the ENTIRE congregation think when they left the c hurch and for the remainder of the week as well.

    They would never intentionally HURT someone. I am sure they took all necessary precautions..  IT WAS AN ACCIDENT !!!!

    People need to open your Bibles and pray instead of condemning and belittling.
    i pray that this family is feeling Gods love in the wake of the tragedy and they will rest assured that their loved one is with GOD and her ultimate goal was to help others know Him so they too can find the same eternal life with their Creator.

    Thank you for listening ~!

  • Posted by
    Saturday, May 23, 2009 at 12:09 AM

    God, You have helped me through this whole journey called Life and unfortunately death as well. I feel so honored to write on this wall and know that YOU are listening and that I was fortunate enough to know Keri, and hear her very last exact words, “Everything is going to be alright, The show will go on, No matter what, Thank you for your help with the show.” She was so afraid she was going to trip on her costume and the first thing she did was Pray to her Daddy...as she called him. God, I could be extremely angry at you about all of this, letting me watch my friend fall just a few feet from my feet. But you have done so much more for me, You created me, You’ve loved me, and You’ve shown me your way, the right way. I could choice to be mad, but I know that I, The rest of the backstage staff, and the audience know you are the creator of Heaven and Earth, and you are the only one that can take care of us, the only one. I pray for the Shryock Family as well, I have not seen them recently I pray you keep them safe, healthy and well. Its has to be so hard for them, more then Ive ever felt. Let you’re love run down. I love you. Tell Keri I miss her, and she better be gettin those ski runs groomed for me up there in heaven! And promise her, I’m doing the best i possibly can without her gorgeous smile, Im just going to imitate her, Keri’s the only one with just a smile that could brighten anyones day! Anyone!
    Amen

    I just want to Thank this Church also. For your Prayers and Thoughts for our Church and the Family of Keri’s. It means so much to us!

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