An emotional Brooks said he felt compelled to put aside his prepared script and speak from the heart.

“I appreciate all the people that are coming in and trying to help us out,” Brooks said. “But we’re going to need prayer. So please think about our families in this community. Think about all the people that are involved. 

“And just, let’s pray,” he added. “Jesus, take the wheel.”

Gun control was not addressed in the sanctuary, and church officials said media interviews of attendees were not allowed because of the “sensitive nature of this event.”

In the wake of Saturday’s attack, President Joe Biden, a Democrat, reiterated his call for banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines as well as enacting universal background checks, requiring safe storage of weapons and ending immunity for gun manufacturers. 

But in a Fox News interview, the Texas governor, a Republican, rejected the need for gun control and instead emphasized the importance of mental health funding, the Dallas Morning News noted. Abbott did not take the microphone at the prayer service.