Church Community Rallies in Prayer as Search for Nancy Guthrie Continues

In Tucson, Arizona, the search for Nancy Guthrie has stretched into its second week. Congregants were encouraged to pray for the missing 84-year-old on Sunday at her longstanding church, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, where she has been a valued member for several decades.

Nancy Guthrie, the mother of NBC’s “TODAY” show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, went missing from her Catalina Foothills home on February 1st. Law enforcement is currently treating the case as a potential kidnapping or abduction, with reports of ransom notes surfacing.

During the church service, Pastor John Tittle led the congregation in prayer, expressing the church’s unwavering support for the Guthrie family. “We strive to honor the privacy and wishes of Nancy Guthrie’s family,” stated Tittle. “They communicated the importance of prayer to us, and we will continue to pray through this distressing situation.”

Please guide the authorities in their search for Nancy and touch the hearts of those responsible to act humanely,” Peter Tittle prayed, asking for divine protection for Guthrie and for her to feel the support of the community.

Tittle emphasized forgiveness in his sermon, recognizing its difficulty but underscoring it as vital for healing and overcoming pain and animosity.

Amy Grover, director of communications at the church, described Nancy as an integral member of the community for around 30 years. She’s deeply cherished by those who know her.

According to the timeline provided by Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, Nancy Guthrie returned home after spending the evening with her family on January 31st, only to disappear under perplexing circumstances. Her doorbell camera was disconnected in the early hours, and inexplicably, no footage was salvaged from various cameras in her home. Disturbingly, her pacemaker ceased connection with her phone shortly after 2 a.m.

When her family went to check on her late the next morning, they urgently reported her missing.

Investigations have yet to identify any suspects. However, blood discovered on her porch matched her DNA, though details regarding forced entry remain undisclosed.

Further complicating the situation are the ransom notes supposedly linked to her disappearance, reported to local and national news outlets. These notes, while lacking proof of her wellbeing, suggest demands of a monetary nature mixed with details only the sender would know, raising the stakes of the investigation.

Savannah Guthrie, alongside her siblings Camron and Annie, made a heartfelt video plea to the presumed kidnapper, stating, “We received your message and understood” before imploring for their mother’s safe return. Her brief, poignant video concluded with a promise of cooperation to secure Nancy’s release.

The message emphasized the urgency and gravity of the situation, leaving the family and community hoping for a resolution.

Correspondents Dana Griffin, reporting from Tucson, and Doha Madani, from New York City, along with Aarne Heikkila of the NBC News Investigative Unit, contributed to this report.