By Ed Simmons, Jr.
cpreporter@lcs.net
Some in tears, all of them solemn and hushed, the Girl Scouts of Troops 304 and 639 filled the pews of Salem Baptist Church in Sparta for a prayer vigil Monday night honoring their leader Beth Kearse, 37, who died early Saturday morning from injuries sustained in a car crash.
The accident also severely injured her daughter Sierra and another 11-year-old Girl Scout, Taylor Cannon. Both are hospitalized. Beth's other daughter, Savanna, seven years old and also a Girl Scout, was not in the car.
Youth Minister Dana Brawley led the service held in the sanctuary, first directing all the girls to come forward and light candles on the altar.
As the altar glittered, she spoke of the risk we all take "losing the one we love" in "circumstances hard and incomprehensible." To endure what she termed "this season of grief," she urged the girls to pray and find strength in the Bible.
"That Christ lived inside her was why she loved you guys so much," she told the girls. "Her last breath of life was her first breath of heaven, and that gives me great comfort."
Beth, who served as assistant Scout Leader for six years, was also known for her PTA fundraising and leading youth activities at Salem's Wednesday evening program for young people, AWANA. She had a well-deserved reputation as a take-charge individual and super-organizer.
"I know she's up there organizing for Him," said Scout leader Samantha Gross reading a letter from another Scout leader, Sally Tidman, when it was her turn at the lectern.
"We've done so much together as a troop, as a community, she will be so missed."
The Girl Scouts resolved at the end of the vigil to carry through on their plan to travel in July to Savannah, Georgia to visit the home, now a museum, of Juliette Gordon Low who founded the Girl Scouts on March 12, 1912.
Samantha described Beth as having been "up to her eyebrows" in boxes of Girl Scout cookies to help make the trip happen. "In her honor, we're going to Savannah," she told the girls.
"We will see her again. Until then we must love one another and live every day as if it's our last." Dana ended the vigil with a prayer to Jesus.
"Draw close to these girls and minister to them," she prayed as the lights were dimmed, more candles were lit and all sang "Blessed Be the Name of the Lord."