Prominent black ministers in Memphis expressed shock Thursday morning over the massacre of nine churchgoers at a South Carolina AME church.

“Really, our message this morning and my feelings are around incredible pain that has been perpetrated by incredible evil upon God’s family,” said Rev. Kenneth Robinson, pastor of St. Andrew AME Church and president and CEO of United Way of the Mid-South.

“Utter shock,’’ said Rev. Keith Norman, pastor of First Baptist Broad and president of the NAACP Memphis chapter.

“And just heartfelt passion for people at the church and the entire community.

Authorities in Charleston continued a manhunt Thursday morning for a white man in his 20s who shot and killed six females and three males, including the pastor, state Sen. Clementa Pinckney, 41.

“Pastor Pinckney was an extraordinary young man,’’ Robinson said. “I met him at denominational meetings. He was, as you can imagine, quite an illuminating and extraordinary leader not only as a pastor but as a state senator.

“… It’s very tragic. It also brings to mind the vulnerability that all of us have living in a free society and really the fact that no one is immune to this kind of senseless hatred and perpetration of violence,’’ Robinson said.

“We all go to church. We all have Bible studies and prayer meetings. And this makes us ever vigilant while also being prayerful.’’

Asked what thoughts might go through his mind now if a young white man walks into Baptist Broad during a service, Norman said he’s already had that experience.

“I had a white male walking into church one Sunday while I was up preaching,’’ Norman said. “And walked from the back of the church to the front of the church with a black backpack. He sat down on the front row of the church, sat with his arms folded momentarily.’’

The visitor did nothing wrong, but Norman recalled being wary. “He began to unzip the bag. I’m preaching but had to continue. I just honestly say with the spirit of the Lord that came over me at that point, I just continued to preach.”

Another time a white man from Arkansas drove onto the church’s parking lot and spent the night there with a high-powered rifle in his trunk.

“It’s a threat that most ministers, especially ministers of color after the death of Dr. King, if we speak truth to power… in some ways there is still that small fragment of America that will put you on their most-wanted list,’’ Norman said.

Both St. Andrew and First Baptist Broad Church have security measures in place.

“Rational planning and our means and modes of providing security for leaders and our congregation,” Robinson said. “It’s very sad, but we have measures in many congregations including ours to provide multiple levels of security. It’s just unfortunate we have to do that, but this is 2015.’’

Security at First Baptist Broad started as control for large crowds and any medical emergencies, but has evolved into protective security as well, Norman said.

“We see the need unfortunately growing for real technical services when it comes to security,’’ he said.

But Norman added, “If the god who called me can’t protect me maybe I didn’t hear from the right god,’’ Norman said.

“Another senseless tragedy,” said Bishop David Allen Hall, who is pastor of Temple Church of God in Christ and head of COGIC’s 50-church Memphis jurisdiction.

“When is the country going to really learn? When will the dialog on ground level start changing the social patterns of hatred. That’s on every side.’’

Hall added, “… The sinfulness of our society is patterned in our behavior socially. There are no political remedies for it. We’ve got to deal with it on a spiritual and human level. The insanity has got to be address; it’s got to stop.’’