Preachers, politicians hail Charlie Kirk’s legacy at Buck vigil

• Jordan Wilkie/WITF
  BioRecent Stories

  

  As the democracy reporter for WITF, I will cover any kind of story that has to do with how we govern ourselves. That will include doing a lot of election coverage about how to access the ballot, how public officials administer elections, the technology used to run and secure elections, and the laws that govern it all.
  
  My work will also include accountability coverage for elected officials that use their positions to then undermine democratic institutions, like the legislators that voted against the certification of the presidential election results on January 6, 2021. If that weren’t enough, I foresee covering some local government decisions, fights over public records and transparency, and some candidate coverage around the major elections. As seen in my coverage of immigrant of LGBTQ+ communities, I also report on the consequences of elections for minority groups.

 Andy Blackburn / LNP

Pa. Sen. Scott Martin, R-Lancaster, speaks at a vigil for Charlie Kirk in Quarryville on Sept. 21, 2025.

About 1,500 people attended a vigil for slain conservative political activist Charlie Kirk at the Buck Motorsports Complex in Providence Township on Sunday night, focused on celebrating Kirk’s Christian faith and how it influenced his work as a political organizer. 

Three Republican legislators from Lancaster County – state Sen. Scott Martin, state Rep. Bryan Cutler and U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smucker – headlined as speakers. All three praised Kirk’s commitment to Christianity and the manner in which he engaged in politics, his focus on debate and engaging young people. Each also called for carrying Kirk’s legacy forward nonviolently. 

Smucker, who represents Lancaster County and part of York County in Congress, referenced the verse in the Book of Matthew in which Jesus tells his disciples to love their enemies.

“Tonight, in Charlie’s memory, let us commit ourselves to choosing the better path, the path of forgiveness, of passion and of love,” Smucker said. 

Martin called Kirk a martyr, as well as the three police officers killed on duty in York County last week.

“Charlie Kirk was a martyr because he fought and believed to protect what the biblical foundation of our country’s Constitution and those God-given rights were,” Martin said. 

Cutler asked the audience to share their religious views when they talk politics, to carry on Kirk’s “mission” that was “not only about saving our country, but it’s also about sharing the gospel.” 

“We are called to be as unapologetic as he was, sharing our policy, sharing our faith, and ensuring that those around us know that we care about not just our country, but that we care about them, that we will love our neighbors,” Cutler said. 

Kirk, 31, the co-founder and chief executive officer of Turning Point USA, died Sept. 10 after he was shot while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University in Orem. Turning Point is a nonprofit organization focused on conservative politics on high school and college campuses. Police have arrested and charged Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old man from St. George, Utah, in the killing. Robinson faces the death penalty if convicted. 

While the politicians quoted Bible versus focused on forgiveness and loving thy neighbor, the religious leaders who followed spoke about Kirk’s political projects and beliefs, framed as a struggle between those that followed their Christian values and the political left. 

Kurt Weaver, who leads the church ambassador network for the Pennsylvania Family Institute, called on the audience to support the state legislative bill that would ban transgender girls and young women from participating in state-funded sports. The Pennsylvania Family Institute is a nonprofit dedicated to being a voice for conservative family values in the state Capitol. 

Weaver referenced Kirk’s stance that to be transgender is to be against God’s plan, a position Kirk spoke on frequently.

“Charlie stood for biblical sexuality and boldly defended the truth that men and women are uniquely created in God’s image and design,” Weaver said. He also called on the audience to attend Monday’s Pennsylvania March for Life at the state Capitol in Harrisburg, drawing on Kirk’s opposition to abortion.  

Sam Masteller, senior pastor of Freedom Life Church, which organized the event along with Turning Point USA Quarryville, Pequea Church and several local businesses, also focused on Kirk’s opposition to transgender rights, access to abortion and a call to bring religion to the public square. 

“We just found out how many would celebrate murdering us,” and said, “It is evil, what we are witnessing in our land.” 

Masteller said “our” reaction to Kirk’s killing was to pray and come together, while “their” reaction to the killing of George Floyd by a police officer was to riot and burn cities, referencing social justice protests across the nation in the summer of 2020.

“We don’t want revenge; we want revival,” he said.

Kirk came to Freedom Life Church in April 2022. Masteller’s church has been a part of Turning Point USA’s faith network since then, he said. 

Kirk is survived by his wife, Erika, and their two young children. Erika Kirk is the new CEO of Turning Point USA. She spoke at her husband’s memorial service at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, earlier on Sunday, along with President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance. Lancaster County vigils were also held in Bainbridge and New Holland for Kirk on Sunday night.

A collection of interviews, photos, and music videos, featuring local musicians who have stopped by the WITF performance studio to share a little discussion and sound. Produced by WITF’s Joe Ulrich.

Learn More