Arizona Episcopal church hosts vigil for Nancy Guthrie, missing mother of ‘Today’ co-anchor
St. Philip’s in the Hills Episcopal Church in Tucson, Arizona, hosted more than 400 people during a compline and vigil service on Feb. 4 for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Savannah Guthrie, co-anchor of NBC’s “Today” morning show. Nancy Guthrie was reported missing from her home in the Catalina Foothills outside Tucson on Feb. 1. Photo: Screenshot
[Episcopal News Service] St. Philip’s in the Hills Episcopal Church in Tucson, Arizona, hosted more than 400 people during a compline and vigil service on Feb. 4 for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Savannah Guthrie, co-anchor of NBC’s “Today” morning show. Nancy Guthrie was reported missing from her home in the Catalina Foothills outside Tucson on Feb. 1.
“With the consent of the [Guthrie] family … you are invited to join the wider Tucson community and pray for Nancy’s safe and swift return,” St. Philip’s in the Hills posted on its website alongside a recording of the livestreamed prayer service. Its interim rector, the Rev. Richard Mallory, officiated.
Guthrie was reported missing after a friend from her church, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Tucson, contacted her family notifying them that she didn’t show up for Sunday morning worship. She was last seen the night before when family members drove her home after dinner, according to Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos.
While Guthrie has no known cognitive issues, investigators and her family said Guthrie, who wears a pacemaker, has limited mobility and other health issues, including high blood pressure and cardiac issues.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department, who is leading the investigation, reported evidence in Guthrie’s home, including blood, indicating foul play and kidnapping or abduction. No suspect or person of interest has been identified.
A ransom note was sent to KOLD-TV, a CBS affiliate station in Tucson, on Feb. 2 allegedly demanding millions in Bitcoin in exchange for Guthrie’s release, though investigators, who’ve shared the note with the FBI, have neither confirmed nor denied its authenticity.
“Let us continue to lift up in prayer Nancy Guthrie and her entire family in the midst of the horrific situation of her abduction,” the Rev. John Tittle, St. Andrew’s pastor, said in a post on the church’s Facebook page promoting the vigil at St. Philip’s in the Hills.
During the service, St. Philip’s in the Hills’ choir sang from Psalm 31, a prayer for deliverance from enemies and distress rooted in complete trust and faith in God. The liturgy also included readings from Jeremiah 14:9 and the Book of Common Prayer, as well as a special intercession for Guthrie and her family:
“Most merciful God, we pray for our sister, Nancy. Guide her, comfort and sustain her in this moment of need. …Bring her swiftly to safety, and to those whom she loves,” the congregation prayed. “Speed the way of those who search for her, that they may work diligently.”
Service attendees also lit candles and placed them at the altar as a prayer symbol for the Guthrie family.
In a Feb. 4 Instagram Reel captioned “Bring her home,” Savannah Guthrie, her sister, Annie, and brother, Camron, thanked supporters for their prayers.
“We feel them and we continue to believe that [Nancy] feels them, too. … Our mom is our heart and our home,” Savannah Guthrie said. “Your children will not rest until we are together again. … We love you, Mom.”
Anyone with information on Guthrie’s disappearance is urged to call 911 or the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at (520) 351-4900.