Wake held for Charleston reverend ahead of funeral A wake was held on Thursday evening at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston for Reverend and State Senator Clementa Pinckney, one of the nine members of the church murdered by a gunman last week. A friend AFP spoke to called his death ‘a great loss’, saying he is irreplaceable. Rev. Pinckney’s funeral on Friday is to be attended by President Obama. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES