08/05/2026
To the Congregation of EPIC Fellowship Church and the Rocky Mount Community:
As senior pastor of EPIC Fellowship Church, my heart is heavy, but my faith and commitment to this city remain firm.
Our community has suffered an agonizing, heartbreaking loss. We mourn the tragic passing of the Swann family and Mahala Scurlock, along with their cherished pets. No words, no municipal explanations, and no social media debates can lessen the profound pain of losing four lives and the pets that shared their home in such a devastating manner.
To the family, friends, and loved ones who are bearing this heavy burden: EPIC Fellowship Church stands with you. You are in our prayers, our hearts, and our arms. We wrap our faith around you in this hour of grief, and we extend our unconditional love and support to comfort you through the dark days ahead.
As a church called to lead, love, and serve Rocky Mount, we recognize that true spiritual leadership requires us to meet our community at its point of deepest pain:
A Call for Comfort and Compassion: Before we are citizens of a municipality or voices in a public debate, we are human beings called to love our neighbors. We ask our entire city to pause, lay down political weaponization and internet hostility, and lift up this grieving family with pure compassion.
A Call for the Value of Human Life: Every human life is sacred. In times of hardship and extreme weather, our community systems, neighborly care, and outreach efforts must always work in unity to protect the most vulnerable among us.
A Call for Faith and Community Action: Faith without works is dead. EPIC Fellowship Church will continue to stand as a beacon of hope, resource, and spiritual refuge. We remain committed to partnering with local organizations, community leaders, and outreach initiatives to ensure our families are seen, supported, and protected.
To the citizens of Rocky Mount: do not lose heart. In moments of tragedy and darkness, light shines the brightest. Let us honor the memory of the Swann family and Mahala Scurlock by choosing love over division, compassion over conflict, and unity over outrage.
EPIC Fellowship Church’s doors and arms remain wide open to all who are hurting. May God grant peace, strength, and comfort to our city.
In His Service,
Pastor Frank Henderson
EPIC Fellowship Church
