Engelhardts part of the family at St. Peter Lutheran Church

At St. Peter Lutheran Church, the Engelhardt family is just that - a part of the family and known to everyone, the Rev. David Hudak said Saturday.

"The entire family was a member of the church," he said. "... Everyone knows them. We are all surrounding them with love right now."

The Schaumburg church is reaching out to help the Hoffman Estates family in the aftermath of a violent attack that left three of them dead and one in critical condition.

Conant High School senior Laura Engelhardt, 18, her father Alan Engelhardt, 57, and her maternal grandmother Marlene Gacek, 73, are dead, and Laura's mom, Shelly Engelhardt, is in critical condition at a hospital.

Prosecutors say that D'Andre D. Howard, 20, of Hoffman Estates, attacked them with a butcher knife early Friday in a rage after a fight with his girlfriend, Amanda Engelhardt, 23, the eldest daughter of Alan and Shelly. That attack occurred at the family's home on Bluebonnet Lane.

Hudak, who has been pastor at St. Peter for 17 years, said the Engelhardts are a "faith-filled family" that has been involved in the church and its school. All three of the Engelhardt children - Amanda, Laura and Jeff, who was away at college at the time of the attack - attended the Lutheran school and were confirmed there. He said that during high school, Jeff played the drums in the church's praise band.

Shelly Engelhardt has been active in the church's women's organization, helping out with church sales and the like, Hudak said, while Alan was a regular at church and supported school activities. When Laura was in sixth grade there, Alan coached her basketball team, friends said.

Hudak said both Shelly and Alan attended services on Easter.

The pastor said it is obviously a very difficult time for the Engelhardts and for the entire church family.

At its regular 5 p.m. worship service Saturday, Hudak announced the church's crisis counselors were available for everyone.

The church also asked Lutheran Church Charities to bring its parish comfort dog team to minister to people, especially children and youth. The dogs' handlers said people often open up about their feelings when petting the friendly golden Labrador retrievers.

Hudak said offers of help and prayers have poured in to his office, even from the national leader of the church's denomination.

"Lord, we have experienced such a terrible tragedy in our midst," Hudak said, as he led a prayer for the Engelhardt and Gacek survivors. "Comfort their hearts with the blessed assurance of a reunion in heaven."

At a vigil after the service, the Rev. Bill Cate, who taught Laura in confirmation class, addressed a group of her friends from church and high school. He acknowledged how tough it will be with their friend missing and reassured them that Laura was now in heaven. "Father, we can't pretend to understand," he prayed. "But we thank you anyway."

Hudak said church leaders are trying to send a message of hope in the wake of the tragedy.

"The message is the same one we shared with everyone at Easter and that is that Easter is a time of hope... That Christ is with them, that he will not forsake them even in this very difficult time."

Daily Herald staff writer Susan Sarkauskas contributed to this account.

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