David Griffin told Wedgwood Baptist Church congregants Sunday morning that his daughter, Cassandra Fawn Griffin, will forever be remembered as his 14-year-old girl who loved God and collecting frogs. 

Cassandra, who Griffin referred to as Cassie, started collecting frogs as a fifth grader. She used the acronym, F.R.O.G, to reference a Bible verse, John 15:19, that gave her collection meaning: “fully rely on God.” 

Cassie was one of the seven victims who died in a shooting at Wedgwood Baptist Church 25 years ago. Griffin and his wife, Tralissa Griffin, were two of the congregants who gathered Sunday to reflect on the anniversary and share messages of healing and hope. 

The date, Sept. 15, 1999, is etched in Fort Worth’s history. That evening, congregants and students from churches across Fort Worth joined guest speakers at the church to celebrate their earlier participation in a “See You at the Pole,” event, part of a global movement where Christian students gather at their school’s flagpole to pray. 

The celebratory event at the church became a crime scene after Larry Gene Ashbrook opened fire inside Fort Worth’s Wedgwood Baptist Church, fatally shooting seven people and wounding seven others before ending his own life.

Al Meredith was pastor of Wedgwood Baptist Church at the time of the shooting and is now pastor emeritus for the church. He was coming back into town from a funeral when he heard about the shooting 25 years ago. 

During the Sept. 15 service, Meredith recalled  the sleepless nights he had in the days that followed, visiting hospitals, comforting kids and parents and taking trips to the morgue. He allowed space for the congregation to reflect on the tragedy and encouraged them to rely on faith to stay resilient in the future. 

“Though we look back and remember with tears, we look forward with expectancy and joy, because no matter what happens, God’s on the throne. He’s faithful,” he said. 

Melodic voices from congregants and clergy joined together in singing the Christian song,  “Goodness of God,” during the service. 

Dale Braswell, lead pastor and staff elder, took to the pulpit to read a joint letter from Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker and former Mayor Kenneth Barr, who sent their prayers to the church in memory of the anniversary. 

Braswell also took his sermon as a time to acknowledge the different perspectives on the shooting in the room. For some younger congregants, it was a lesson on a significant moment in the church’s history. For others, it’s still “very real and near the surface,” he said. 

“God wants us to remember our past, but he doesn’t want us to idolize it,” Braswell told worshippers. “I believe Wedgwood has an incredibly bright future, not because of Al (Meredith), or me or a mission statement or building, because the same God that was with us 25 years ago is still with us today.”

Griffin took to the front of the worship room to share his daughter’s story and how he and his wife process their grief. He hoped that his story would be helpful to people in the audience  going through their own grief journey. 

“What I’ve learned is that grief is really a lifelong journey, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t experience joy and peace,” Griffin said. “God has given us a good and a joyful life. We have been showered by his waterfall grace.” 

Marissa Greene is a Report for America corps member, covering faith for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at marissa.greene@fortworthreport.org or @marissaygreene. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.