5 Christian reactions to murder of celebrated singer Jubilant Sykes

2. Joni Eareckson Tada, Christian author and speaker

Prominent Christian author and speaker Joni Eareckson Tada said Sykes has been a “treasured friend” to her and her husband since he sang at their wedding more than 40 years ago.

“Today our hearts are heavy as we learned of the tragic passing of the one-and-only Jubilant Sykes. He sang at our wedding all those years ago, and for more than four decades, he has been a treasured friend to Ken and me,” she wrote in a statement on Facebook.

“We will miss his joy, his generous heart, and that unmistakable voice that always seemed to lift our eyes to heaven. Yet even through the sorrow, we rest in the hope that he is now rejoicing in the presence of the Savior he loved so deeply,” she added. “What a comfort to know that ‘to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord,’ and that one day, we will join him in that everlasting chorus of praise!”