Area ministers and members of Jericho Baptist Church in Farmville gathered at the church Wednesday to remember those who died or who were injured following a serious accident on U.S. Route 460 in Dinwiddie Tuesday.

The crash involved a truck and a van. The van carried members of the Shiloh Baptist Church, based in Blackstone.

According to multiple news accounts, four people died, three people were flown by helicopter to VCU Medical Center with life-threatening injuries and four people were transported to nearby hospitals for serious injuries. The accident is believed to have been caused by a truck pulling a trailer carrying metal, rear-ending the van as the van was pulling into a church parking lot, causing the van to overturn several times.

The Rev. Dr. James Taylor, pastor of Jericho Baptist Church, the Rev. Bernice Smith, of Jericho Baptist Church, Minister Kimberly Ashton, of First Baptist Church in Farmville and the Rev. James Ashton, pastor of First Baptist Church, led prayers for the families of those who died, for those who are injured, those reading the news, for the driver of the truck.

In between prayers, song and reading scripture, members of Jericho Baptist Church spoke about their thoughts and feelings when reading the news.

Members of the congregation noted that they knew victims of the accident and spoke about the impact of the loss for Shiloh Baptist Church. Jericho Baptist Church has its own choir that travels by van to churches around the region. Members spoke about how similar Shiloh’s situation had been, prior to the accident, to Jericho’s and churches around the region.

The congregation expressed heartbreak for family members affected, and prayed that they experience God’s peace and comfort. Members and pastors prayed for the driver of the truck and his family, praying that they experience God’s protection, through their grief and regret.

Ministers encouraged God to be close to everyone experiencing heartbreak, and for everyone to draw close to God.

“Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal,” James Ashton said.

Jericho holds Bible studies on Wednesday nights. This week, Taylor and other ministered decided to hold a special meeting to allow everyone to express grief and pray for those involved in a community setting, particularly as funerals for those who died and recovery for people who were injured begin over the new few weeks.

“This is close to home,” Taylor said during the service.

“This has left an indelible mark on our hearts,” he said.