Charlie Kirk Honored at HillCity Church

By ERIC SANTOMAURO-STENZEL
ONEONTA

Around 20 locals honored the life of Charlie Kirk at HillCity Church on what would have been his 32nd birthday, October 14. Speaking from the lectern with a photo of Kirk in front of him, host Pastor Tim Wormuth described Kirk’s death as a martyrdom where “God is opening a door of opportunity for the church in America.”

On September 10, Charlie Kirk was assassinated while speaking at Utah Valley University. Kirk’s organization, Turning Point USA, primarily works to promote conservative politics among young people. A close ally of President Donald Trump, Kirk assisted his 2024 election campaign and had TPUSA send buses of his supporters to Washington, D.C. on January 6, 2021.

Wormuth began by saying they were gathering to “celebrate and remember the life of Charlie Kirk and what that meant for our nation.”

Wormuth said he had sent invites to other local clergy to join. Only Pastor John Grenier of the Oneonta Assembly of God Church replied, Wormuth said. Grenier read from Philippians 1 before sharing his own thoughts.

Grenier described Kirk as “a man that we can definitely be willing to character our lives after.” He said Kirk “was willing to stand and allow the glory of God to flow through him, and allow the Word of God to do its work” at his campus events.

Though only one portion of his work, Kirk is best known for his campus debates. He and his team would set up a table outside and challenge mostly undergraduate students to recorded debates, which would be published online. Kirk sought to bring young voters into the national political dialogue.

“Charlie Kirk Shreds the Myth of Systemic Racism,” reads the title of a TPUSA YouTube video of such an event posted the day before Kirk’s murder, where he was asked about his prior comments opposing the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Kirk replied that he supported parts of the bill, but that it created a “civil rights leviathan that gave us affirmative action” and discriminated against white people.

Decrying the removal of prayer and the 10 Commandments from public schools, Wormuth told the crowd, “There’s no such thing as the separation of church and state, and we, as God’s people, must speak up.” Referring to Kirk’s killing, Wormuth continued, “We had another moment like this just over 20 years ago, September 11, and we missed it. Are we going to miss this one? I pray that we don’t.”

Wormuth told AllOtsego he is not a Christian nationalist.

“We don’t need a theocracy here, but there’s right and there’s wrong, and the church is the conscience of the society,” he said.

The service included several video tributes and songs displayed at the front of the church. “Faith, family, freedom,” one repeated a mantra of Kirk’s. Some attendees swayed side to side with their hands in the air. Others saluted.

John Merron, who said he was not a congregant of HillCity Church but did attend its men’s group, told AllOtsego he appreciated the memorial service. “I really didn’t know Charlie Kirk until he died. And I do like what he’s all about,” he said. Merron, who said Jesus “saved me, just like he saved Charlie,” added that what society needs going forward is for people to go to church and learn how to disagree agreeably.

Referring to a video that included Kirk’s wife, Erika, forgiving alleged killer Tyler James Robinson, Wormuth told the crowd it’s “what it looks like when you know Christ as Savior.”