The Macedonia Baptist Church in Mount Vernon remembered the victims of the deadly church shooting in Charleston, South Carolina during its Sunday service.

The church's minister says he felt compelled to rework Sunday's program in the wake of the shooting, which claimed the lives of nine people last Wednesday. The shooting occurred during a Bible study lesson at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Macedonia Baptist is one of many churches across the Hudson Valley taking the time to remember the victims. The Rev. Dr. Derrick Morton discussed healing and forgiveness and offered a special prayer for the victims.

"I think that the church is really bewildered by such hate that could occur, especially in a house of God, in a community or a nation in which we pride ourselves on the right of religion," Morton says.

Parishioners of Macedonia Baptist say the shocking violence has brought people together to fight racial intolerance.

The Mount Vernon community will continue its solidarity with Charleston with a vigil at the city's AME church this Thursday.

Dylann Roof, 21, has been charged with nine counts of murder in connection with the shooting.