AIRDRIE, AB-Several congregations in this bedroom community located minutes north of Calgary have come together to spearhead the renovation of a home where a troubled adult male shot and killed his 16-year-old stepson before taking his own life March 26.

More than 500 highschool students attended the funeral service conducted April 2 by pastors from Faith Community Baptist Church and Airdrie Alliance Church for Tyler Eckhart, a popular student at George McDougall High School.

Due to circumstances preceding and following the murder-suicide, a number of those offering assistance to the family were concerned about surviving family members returning to live in the home where the horrendous events occurred.

A couple from Airdrie Victory Church decided to rally a core of believers from six churches to organize sponsors, volunteers, materials and tradespeople necessary to renovate the crime scene inside and out.

"Even the garage on the property is receiving a facelift and a fence is being erected," says pastor Bruce Palsky of Airdrie Alliance. "It’s all in an effort to let a hurting family know there are those who love them and are there for them during a very, very difficult time."

A number of businesses in the Calgary area have made generous donations to the project. Local merchants have donated materials and manpower while many individuals have dropped by to lend a hand as time and skills permit.

Ironically, just days before the tragedy, members of the Airdrie ministerial were discussing plans for this year’s celebration of "Love Airdrie," says pastor Gord Klassen of Faith Community Baptist.

"On the first Saturday of last June," Klassen explains, "several Airdrie churches participated in ‘Love Airdrie’ where members of various congregations performed random acts of kindness and generosity throughout the community. Shortly before terror reared its ugly head on a quiet residential street here, the local ministerial had been planning for another ‘Love Airdrie’ later this spring."

"In the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, Christians in Airdrie decided ‘Love Airdrie’ would arrive early this year," says Linda Ray, a Christian who lives just a few houses from where the murder occurred. "We want to demonstrate our understanding that Christianity is not merely an ideology to be embraced, but a way of doing life."