The congregation at London Bridge Baptist Church is remembering the life of Herbert "Bert" Snelling.
He was one of the 12 victims killed by a gunman at the Virginia Beach municipal center Friday.
Snelling was a contractor, father, and husband. He was getting a permit at the Public Works building when the mass shooting happened.
"That doesn't happen here this is a peaceful community where you don't feel in danger, where you feel like there isn't going to be any crime and it really does it home," Pete Spitzer said.
Spitzer became friends with Snelling a few years ago during a mission trip.
"We were building a church and Bert, the kind and gentle man that he was, somebody that was always there to help people always looking to give his talents," he said.
"He was a giving man and when you go down there and experience the devastation that people have down there it just brings you a bond that's closer between people."
The church that Snelling attended remembered him with a prayer vigil — and to also honor the other shooting victims.
"The city was hurting we felt like people were hurting and we felt like people needed to pray and needed to be brought before the lord, so we wanted to do something to help," Pastor Greg Brinson said.
"We can continue, and God will still be with us, God will help us and be with us and God will heal us."