Three members of The Nelons, a gospel group from Georgia, died in a plane crash July 26 that claimed the lives of all seven people on board the flight.
A preliminary report on the crash is expected in about 30 days, while a final report on the probable cause of the crash could take up to two years to complete, National Transportation Safety Board spokesperson Keith Holloway said.
Kelly Nelon Clark, her husband Jason Clark and their daughter Amber Nelon Kistler, died in the crash, along with Amber’s husband, Nathan Kistler; Melodi Hodges; pilot Larry Haynie; and his wife, Melissa Haynie.
The Nelons’ pastor at Roopville Road Baptist Church, Stephen Peeples, found comfort amid grief knowing that his friends were finally with their maker, as he shared fond memories of the family who were regulars in the congregation.
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When asked what The Nelons would be remembered most for, Peeples didn’t hesitate.
“Their love and passion for the Lord,” Peeples exclusively told Fox News Digital. “Just their love for the Lord. Love to minister in their concerts, and it wasn’t a show or that kind of thing, but to minister to the body of Christ.”
Peeples noted that many members of the community weren’t aware how much the Nelons gave back through ministry work.
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“They had a lot of mission activity ministries in which they embarked on that a lot of people didn’t know about, per se. So, their reach went far beyond just, you know, southern gospel music, but also to be known that they had a mission mindset,” he said.
Upon hearing the flight crashed in Wyoming, Peeples “immediately” began attempting to contact Autumn Nelon Streetman, Kelly and Jason’s pregnant daughter who was the fourth member of the Nelons.
Autumn and her husband, Jamie Streetman, traveled separately to Seattle, where the group was scheduled to meet and join the Gaither Homecoming Cruise to Alaska.
WATCH: PASTOR STEPHEN PEEPLES SHARES MEMORIES OF THE NELONS
“My heart goes out to Autumn. I can’t begin … I mean, I can’t begin to fathom the extremity of the loss on her end,” he said. “I mean, four family members — close, intimate, immediate family members — and here she’s expecting the first grandchild of the family. They’re really excited about that.
“Autumn did tell me, she goes, ‘You know what? I know that God, you know, sent this child at the right time,’” Peeples recalled. “This is where we have to put our trust in the Lord. There’s no way around it. I shared with our staff that a faith that cannot be tested is a faith that cannot be trusted.”
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The pastor was adamant that he and the congregation would continue trusting in “our Lord no matter what happens.”
“This is where we have to put our trust in the Lord. There’s no way around it. I shared with our staff that a faith that cannot be tested is a faith that cannot be trusted.”
“The beauty of every bit of this is I know that they’re in the presence of the Lord,” he said. “I knew their testimonies of being a Christ follower — all seven on that plane. As the Bible says, we grieve, but not as those who do not have any hope … but we have a for-sure hope of knowing that they’re with Christ.
“For those of us who know the Lord, this is just a brief period of temporary separation.”
A celebration of life ceremony is scheduled for the family for Tuesday, Aug. 6, at 1 p.m. at the Roopville Road Baptist Church, which will also be available via livestream.
“The beauty of every bit of this is I know that they’re in the presence of the Lord. I knew their testimonies of being a Christ follower – all seven on that plane. As the Bible says, we grieve, but not as those who do not have any hope.”
WATCH: PASTOR STEPHEN PEEPLES DESCRIBES THE NELONS’ UNSHAKABLE CHRISTIAN FAITH
The National Transportation Safety Board spokesperson reported an “autopilot issue during flight” as a preliminary cause for concern during the initial investigation, according to Holloway, who also said investigators were further evaluating the situation.
The Atlanta-based Gospel music family was en route to join the Gaither Homecoming Cruise to Alaska when the plane went down, cruise sponsor Gaither Music Group said.
“Autumn and Jamie will return home for now to Kelly’s brother, Todd Nelon, and his wife, Rhonda, to begin the hard tasks that lie ahead. Please keep them, the Kistler family, the Haynie family and the family of Melodi Hodges in your prayers,” Gaither Music Group said at the time.
The Nelons were inducted into the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame in 2016 and were winners of 10 GMA Dove Awards, including multiple song of the year and album of the year awards.
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