The congregation of St. Paul Lutheran Church is inviting the Fort Dodge community to join it in prayer Sunday as the trial of the man accused of killing the Rev. Al Henderson nears.

”We want to be able to take the opportunity to provide support for the families and the community,” said the Rev. Kendall Meyer, the church’s senior pastor.

He said prayers will be offered for the family of Henderson and the family of Joshua Pendleton. Pendleton, of Fort Dodge, is accused of killing Henderson at the church on Oct. 2, 2019. He will stand trial for first degree murder beginning Monday. The trial is being held in Scott County District Court at the request of defense attorneys.

The church at 400 S. 13th St. will open at noon Sunday for people to come and pray. Then at 6 p.m. there will be a roughly half-hour-long prayer service.

The church will remain open until 9 p.m. so that people can come to pray later in the evening.

Meyer said the vigil will be an opportunity to ”pray for strength, pray for justice, pray for God’s presence and pray that the truth will be unhindered.”

”We want to begin the process of growing in our forgiveness,” he added.

Meyer said the entire community is invited. He extended a special invitation to the law enforcement officers and firefighters for whom Henderson was the chaplain for many years.