Nancy Guthrie’s pastor prays for her safe return, for God to soften hearts of kidnappers

Pastor John Tittle of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Tucson, Arizona, where Nancy Guthrie, the missing 84-year-old mother of "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie, has been a member for 30 years, prayed earnestly with his congregation Sunday for her safe return and that God would soften the hearts of her kidnappers.

“Calm them in the storm. Lord God, bless and guide the authorities in their search for Nancy. Give them wisdom along every step of the path to her,” Tittle prayed during the worship service. “Lord, we ask that you would soften the hearts of those who are responsible that they might come forward and do what is humane and what is right. [We] pray for mercy, for grace to prevail.”

The prayer came just hours after Savannah Guthrie and her siblings, Camron and Annie Guthrie, said in a video Saturday that they are willing to pay a ransom for their mother’s return as authorities moved into the second week of searching for Nancy Guthrie.

"We received your message and we understand," the “Today” show co-host said in the video shared on Instagram. "We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay."

Chris Nanos, the Pima County sheriff, told The New York Times that Guthrie was taken against her will from her home near Tucson, Arizona, sometime between 9:45 p.m. on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1. She had dinner with her daughter Annie and her son-in-law Tommaso Cioni nearby. Cioni told authorities he dropped off his mother-in-law and made sure she made it inside safely before he left.

Ransom notes have been shared with media outlets, with the Tucson ABC affiliate KGUN initially reporting on a $6 million demand. The outlet has since removed social media posts mentioning the ransom and has removed the $6 million figure from its online article, the NY Daily News reports. 

Notes cited by TMZ have set two specific deadlines to pay up. One deadline was set for Thursday, Feb. 5, and a final “consequential” deadline was set for Monday, Feb. 9, according to TMZ founder Harvey Levin.

Tittle said he and his congregation are 110% committed to praying for Nancy Guthrie’s safe return and noted that last Wednesday the church held a very “moving” prayer vigil on her behalf.

“If you were able to attend or to see online Wednesday's prayer vigil, what a healing and important time for our community to come together to pray, to ask for mercy and deliverance from a terrible situation. To be in solidarity with Nancy and the family. And just seeing all the candles, hundreds of candles coming up and placed upon the altar was very moving,” he said. “So, thank you for your prayers.”

He described the abduction of Nancy Guthrie and the pain being experienced by those who love her as “the Valley of the Shadow.”

“We turn to you, Lord, in our hour of need. And we cry out for mercy,” Tittle said.

“God, we pray that out of darkness, light will shine. … We pray for Nancy’s rescue. We pray for her release. We pray that she would be brought safely home. God, we lift up all who are missing, all held captive against their will.”