Bronx Church Mourns Loss Of Pastor, Five Congregants In Van Accident

It was a mixture of tears and grief, sorrow and song on Sunday morning inside the Joy Fellowship Church in Baychester, as members of the small congregation tried to come to terms with the devastating loss.

Bishop Simon White and his wife Zelda were among the 14 church members traveling northbound on the New York State Thruway Saturday when their van's rear tire blew just north of Exit 16 in Orange County.

Police say the van flipped over three or four times.

"I'm telling you its really shocking, really shocking," said congregant Annemarie Flinch. "He was loved. They all were loved. Because we're like a family."

As they prayed Sunday, members of the 98-person congregation were joined in their grief by worshippers from other churches who shared memories of the bishop and his wife.