Thousands gather at Hill Country prayer garden, memorial to honor lives lost last July 4

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(The Center Square) – One year after the historic July 4 flood disaster that swept through the Hill Country killing 139 people, with the most, 119, in Kerr County, residents are still recovering and seeking healing. 

One place of respite is the Coming King and Sculpture Prayer Gardens created by Hill Country artist, architect and sculptor Max Greiner, Jr. The 24.5-acre prayer garden is located at the top of a large hill off I-10 when exiting for Kerrville.

On Friday, and continuing over the weekend, thousands of visitors came to the gardens and gathered at a new Hill Country Flood Memorial Wall. 

The gardens are maintained by volunteers with the Coming King Foundation, a nonprofit art museum dedicated “to bless, inspire and educate the public through the exhibition of monumental spiritual art and Biblical scriptures.” Over the weekend, foundation intercessors prayed with countless people. 

The foundation is the first organization to erect a permanent memorial to honor those who died last year. It is a six-foot-tall and 176-foot-long, undulating, limestone memorial wall on which the first three of many bronze plaques were erected. The plaques list the victims’ names, describe the historic flood disaster, and recognize first responders.

The Coming King Foundation held several services, including one hosted with United Rescue Alliance, a first responder nonprofit Christian organization. At this service, they dedicated the new memorial wall, remembered those who died, recognized first responders and offered countless prayers. The event was marked with songs of praise and remembrance. Worship music is also played throughout the garden on loudspeakers.

Families who lost loved ones were presented with yellow roses and a small, lashed Juniper/Cedar cross “that had been anointed by oil and Guadalupe River water and prayed over” by foundation intercessors. Many prayed and laid hands on the wall.

TCKF President Pastor Fred Schremp told The Center Square that while the flood “took precious lives, homes, and businesses,” the gardens and memorial wall are “places of peace, healing, remembrance and life. In tough times, the Lord Jesus reminds us that ‘He will comfort, and He will heal.’” He said the memorial wall “will help heal those who are brokenhearted, because the presence of the Lord Jesus Himself is there.”

“Healing can be found on the top of the hill,” Greiner told The Center Square. “Texans living in Kerrville, Hunt, Ingram and surrounding rural communities have endeavored to rebuild and move on with life, but many still have great sorrow and unanswered questions. Families who lost loved ones and their homes are still struggling. So are first responders who recovered dead bodies, including little children.

“The Coming King Foundation wants to establish a place of active remembrance, healing and hope. We are here for those who still cannot go near the river, for the first responders who cannot unsee the things they saw. We want them to find the Lord's peace and comfort.” 

Last year, the foundation partnered with Lutheran Church Charities, which gifted a Hearts of Mercy & Compassion memorial of 92 crosses at the gardens, representing “the love and hope of Jesus through presence and prayer,” The Center Square reported. 

Greiner added that “the Hill Country has always been a place where faith, family and community take deep root.” He hopes the memorial wall will “honor every life, strengthen every heart and remind future generations that even in our deepest sorrow, God’s presence remains steadfast. His mercy is new every morning and our hope is found in Jesus Christ.”

The foundation also held a separate event celebrating the 250th anniversary of American independence. At this event they “appealed to the court of heaven to save our country by bringing the truth to the court about our foundations.” They read founding documents, including the Declaration of Independence, the preamble to the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights “to provide a montage of how America was formed to be a leader nation by the founder, God Almighty.”

The garden is located halfway between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and is the same latitude as Israel, Greiner told The Center Square. More than 120,000 people visit a year from all 50 states and more than 80 countries, he said.

Gov. Greg Abbott also spoke at a memorial service in Kerrville on July 4 in memory of the lost and in celebration of the 250th anniversary of American independence, The Center Square reported.