More than 700 people reportedly attended the Life Church Noblesville service honoring the life of Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk. (Photo provided by Jay Skinner)
By STU CLAMPITT
news@readthereporter.com
In the wake of the tragic murder of Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk last week in Utah, there has been an outpouring of both grief and anger across the nation. To address the grief, on Sunday, Sept. 14, at 5 p.m. more than 700 people attended a memorial service honoring the legacy of Charlie Kirk at Life Church, 2200 Sheridan Road, Noblesville.
Speakers included Lt. Governor Micah Beckwith, Kyle Mattern from Turning Point USA, Sophia Hunt from the Westfield High School Turning Point chapter, Attorney General (AG) Todd Rokita, Tyson Priest, Tony Kinnett, and Pastor Nathan Peternel.
The Reporter spoke with Lt. Governor Beckwith and AG Rokita moments before the service began.
“We want to honor Charlie,” Beckwith told The Reporter. “I mean, the moment he was taken from us, the thoughts go through your head, ‘okay, what do we do now?’ The first thing is to remember him, honor him, celebrate his legacy. It’s happening all over the country – actually it’s happening all over the world. We just wanted to play our role, and you can see it’s a packed house. People are coming from all over. That’s the impact that he had. We’re happy to remember him and celebrate the life he lived.”
Beckwith said the core of his message was about trial and tribulation and hope.
Both Lt. Governor Micah Beckwith and Attorney General Todd Rokita took time to speak to The Reporter moments before the Kirk memorial began. (Reporter photo by Stu Clampitt)
“This has always been,” Beckwith said. “From the history of mankind, there’s always been truth-speakers who have been speaking God’s truth and the enemy comes at them – the devil and his lies. They’ll try to silence those people. Charlie was one of those people. He was speaking truth and the enemy, the devil and his minions, try to silence him. I think what’s happening is actually the exact opposite effect. I think what you’re going to see is that there are going to be many more like him that are now going to rise up and start speaking where he left off. There’s a saying in the church throughout Christendom, ‘The blood of the martyr is the seed of the church.’ And all throughout Christianity when a martyr goes down, it sparks a revolution and a revival. And that’s just what we’re praying for in America.”
AG Rokita, who also attended a service at Indiana Memorial Union in Bloomington, told The Reporter he sees Beckwith as the local Charlie Kirk.
“I’ve watched Charlie,” Rokita told The Reporter. “I’ve met Charlie. I’ve been to Arizona a few times for his annual event, but you don’t have to go that far; we have a Charlie Kirk right here in Indiana. His name is Micah Beckwith.”
According to Rokita, whether it’s Micah Beckwith or Todd Rokita or any other elected leader, you can’t just rely on them.
“For Charlie’s movement to continue to advance, we all have to speak,” Rokita said. “We all have to use our words, not get violent, but have that courage that he had to speak the truth. That’s it.”
Both Beckwith and Rokita said they were encouraged by the attendance at the Life Church memorial.
“It’s a beautiful day out,” Rokita said. “It’s 80-some degrees out in mid-September in Indiana. It’s an absolutely gorgeous day. There are a million other things that these people could be doing, but they’re here. So, yes, I’m very encouraged by that.”
The day after the memorial service, Beckwith told The Reporter the estimated attendance was more over 700. He said he thinks that is the largest gathering ever seen at Life Church Noblesville.
If you were unable to attend and would like to see the full Kirk Memorial event, you can watch it at this link.
