DENVER - Two people remained in critical condition Friday following a van crash in Oregon that claimed the lives of two other members of Denver-area church group.
16 members of the New Life Worship Center in Federal Heights were traveling to Portland to attend a conference when their van veered out of control and rolled several times Thursday morning near Baker City, Oregon.
The crash killed 23-year-old Taune Nicole Winter Pepper of Deer Trail, on Colorado's eastern plains. 20-year-old Joshua John Pichura of Geneva, Ohio also died.
The two passengers listed in critical condition are 19-year-old Aaron Stearling Werntz of Freeport, Ill., and 24-year-old Phillip Joel Harris, of Attalla, Ala.
Hundreds of church members gathered at the New Life Church in Federal Heights Thursday night to pray for the group.
"It has been very devastating to the families of the victims but also to our church family," said Christy Gimer, the office manager-turned spokesperson at New Life Worship Center in Federal Heights.
According to Gimer, about one-third of the students were from Colorado, and the others were from other states, including Florida, Utah and Texas. One student was from Iraq, she said.
All of them were part of a nine-month training program, called Rocky Mountain Masters Commission, through which they were involved in various community service projects while receiving training to become ministers.
16 members of the New Life Worship Center in Federal Heights were traveling to Portland to attend a conference when their van veered out of control and rolled several times Thursday morning near Baker City, Oregon.
The crash killed 23-year-old Taune Nicole Winter Pepper of Deer Trail, on Colorado's eastern plains. 20-year-old Joshua John Pichura of Geneva, Ohio also died.
The two passengers listed in critical condition are 19-year-old Aaron Stearling Werntz of Freeport, Ill., and 24-year-old Phillip Joel Harris, of Attalla, Ala.
Hundreds of church members gathered at the New Life Church in Federal Heights Thursday night to pray for the group.
"It has been very devastating to the families of the victims but also to our church family," said Christy Gimer, the office manager-turned spokesperson at New Life Worship Center in Federal Heights.
According to Gimer, about one-third of the students were from Colorado, and the others were from other states, including Florida, Utah and Texas. One student was from Iraq, she said.
All of them were part of a nine-month training program, called Rocky Mountain Masters Commission, through which they were involved in various community service projects while receiving training to become ministers.
