Members veracohr Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 Oct 31, 11:36 PM EST Texas Pastor Electrocuted During Baptism By ANGELA K. BROWNAssociated Press Writer WACO, Texas (AP) -- The University Baptist Church band had just led the congregation in praise songs when the Rev. Kyle Lake stepped into a tank on the stage to baptize a new member, something he did several times a year. As a packed room of more than 800 people watched, Lake cried out and then fell backward. Several doctors in the Sunday morning crowd rushed up and pulled the 33-year-old pastor from the water, but Lake had been electrocuted. He was pronounced dead shortly afterward at a hospital. Some at the service, which was packed for Baylor University homecoming weekend, said Lake had adjusted a microphone outside the tank. Others said it appeared a piece of equipment fell into the water. "It happened so fast; no one knew what was going on," said Sam Larson, a Minneapolis seminary student who was in Waco visiting fellow Baylor graduates. "It was horrible. Kyle was a guy who loved everybody; he didn't care who you were. And everybody who met him loved him." Waco police believe it was an accident, said police spokesman Steve Anderson. Detectives and the city's inspection department on Monday examined the church's electrical system, microphones and band equipment to try to determine exactly what happened, he said. Randy Childers, who oversees code enforcement for the city, said officials also were reviewing previous inspection reports and permits for the building, which housed a supermarket before the church moved in about 10 years ago. The funeral service for Lake, who was married and had a 5-year-old daughter and 3-year-old twin sons, was planned for Tuesday at Waco's First Baptist Church. Lake, a Tyler native, graduated from Baylor in 1994 and the school's Truett Seminary in 1997. He had been a pastor at University Baptist Church for seven year. The church had grown to about 600 members since it was founded in 1995 as a contemporary church for students at nearby Baylor, the world's largest Baptist university. "He could speak students' language, and he could capture their attention and hold it," said Jeter Basden, Baylor's director of ministry guidance and one of Lake's professors. "He was funny and deep, and he could communicate with someone who didn't have a church background." Since news of Lake's death began spreading, several Baptist pastors have talked about making sure their baptism practices are safe, said David Hardage, executive director of the Waco Baptist Association. But he said the tragedy won't end the tradition of completely submersing someone during a baptism, which symbolizes a Christian's belief that Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead. The woman who was to be baptized Sunday wasn't injured, church officials said. "It's an integral part of the Baptist faith," Hardage said. "For Baptists, we don't believe that baptism is an act of salvation. We believe baptism is an act of obedience and a testimony for what you believe." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeebus Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 Sad. The poor guy.... he should have gone wireless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mr. Donovan Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 At least that's not the worst disaster involving religion to happen in Waco, Texas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeebus Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 Originally posted by Mr. Donovan At least that's not the worst disaster involving religion to happen in Waco, Texas. Understatement of the year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rudolf von Hagenwil Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeff da Weasel Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 Wonder what kind of mic it was. Hmmm. - Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members G Geezer Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 Radio Shack? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ernest Buckley Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 As a Church musician on weekends, I find this really shocking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fantasticsound Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 Please tell me this comment wasn't meant to be humorous at the expense of someone who was electrocuted and leaves behind a wife, two 3 year old and a 5 year old and an entire community of mourners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gearmike Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 Another example of why you shouldn't use AC ground lifts. I'm sure it's going to turn out to be an un-grounded piece of equipment sent voltage down PIN one to the microphone... I have always made it policy that pastors have to use wireless mics during baptisms. I would usually end up wrapping a body pack in plastic bags and using a Countryman B3 lav when we did baptisms at my church... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members linwood Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 Holy smoke!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Anderton Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 As I recall Keith Relf of the Yardbirds was electrocuted by an amp or mic or something...stories like this are a reminder that we ARE playing with stuff that has the potential to be dangerous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bruce Swedien Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 veracohr sez----------->Texas Pastor Electrocuted During Baptism By ANGELA K. BROWN Associated Press Writer WACO, Texas (AP) -- The University Baptist Church band had just led the congregation in praise songs when the Rev. Kyle Lake stepped into a tank on the stage to baptize a new member, something he did several times a year. As a packed room of more than 800 people watched, Lake cried out and then fell backward. Several doctors in the Sunday morning crowd rushed up and pulled the 33-year-old pastor from the water, but Lake had been electrocuted. He was pronounced dead shortly afterward at a hospital. Brucie sez----------->God must have been really busy somewhere else at that moment.... Brucie the Viking!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 I saw that mentioned on the news and was going to mention something. The first thought I had, after feeling sorry for the guy was that "some soundperson / contractor's gonna be in a LOT of trouble." Then again, someone at the church might have added a ground lift adapter - I agree with Mike - it was probably a case of improper grounding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mr. Donovan Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 I think it's ok to tell jokes about this. And if spreading this story around in a humorous way increases awareness of an important safety issue, then that could save a life. I remember on the Guitar Forum at MP someone asked Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members amplayer Posted November 3, 2005 Members Share Posted November 3, 2005 Originally posted by Mr. Donovan I think it's ok to tell jokes about this. If it were Osama Bin Laden who died that way, I'd probably find the jokes funny. If it were somebody I know and love, I don't think so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members veracohr Posted November 3, 2005 Author Members Share Posted November 3, 2005 Originally posted by fantasticsound Please tell me this comment wasn't meant to be humorous at the expense of someone who was electrocuted and leaves behind a wife, two 3 year old and a 5 year old and an entire community of mourners. Not on my part. I intended it to be of interest to people who are interested in microphones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ernest Buckley Posted November 3, 2005 Members Share Posted November 3, 2005 Well as a church music director on weekends I see priests often around water holding mics and yes I do find this shocking that something like this actually happened. Poor choice of words. Sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mr. Donovan Posted November 3, 2005 Members Share Posted November 3, 2005 Originally posted by amplayer If it were Osama Bin Laden who died that way, I'd probably find the jokes funny. If it were somebody I know and love, I don't think so. But what if someone you know and love learned about proper electronics safety from hearing about this story that was spread in a humorous way? And that info saved their life by preventing another tragedy from happening. Also humor is a coping mechanism. If humor can help people deal with tragedy, and help to prevent another tragedy from happening, then I think humor like this can be very productive. If I died in some weird messed up way, I would expect people to tell jokes about it. How else could people deal the loss of a cool guy like me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fantasticsound Posted November 3, 2005 Members Share Posted November 3, 2005 Originally posted by veracohr Not on my part. I intended it to be of interest to people who are interested in microphones. I was referring to Ernest's statement. Thank you, Ernest for clarifying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Philter Posted November 3, 2005 Members Share Posted November 3, 2005 Obviously people find it funny, or it wouldn't be national news. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ernest Buckley Posted November 3, 2005 Members Share Posted November 3, 2005 Well I thought it was funny to be honest but I don`t want to sound like a jerk but hey, can`t help that. So any of you who find it funny too, it is shocking and any of you who don`t find it funny, it is still shocking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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