Congregation at San Francisco's Grace Cathedral told of Texas shooting during service

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- At San Francisco's Grace Cathedral, what began as a joyful celebration ended with the heartbreaking news of yet another mass shooting, this time at a church holding Sunday morning service.

"We just baptized 13 babies this morning and said, 'God is good, life is good'," the Reverend Mary Carter Greene. "And by the end of that service we found out that even babies and an unborn child had been killed."

The decision was made to break the news at the end of the 11 a.m,. service -- so the congregation could leave with the victims in their prayers. The prayers continued during the afternoon and evening services. Parishioners who came later in the day arrived with the shooting very much on their minds.

"Well I think it's very disheartening because you come to church for solace and some form of prayer and refuge," said parishioner Cathy Stevens

The shooting in Texas killed almost as many people as those killed at Sandy Hook Elementary five years ago.

But for the Reverend Mark Stanger, there's doubt that any of it matters.

"When someone comes to a house of worship, they're finding people especially in a vulnerable place and it's hideous," said Stanger. "But we've seen it in a kindergarten classroom and the country doesn't seem to have the nerve to really do anything about it."

The congregation is being asked to turn their prayers into action -- to rise from their knees and to quote "work for change."

Click here for more stories on the Texas church shooting.