As a far north Queensland mother was being charged with eight counts of murder, the tight-knit Manoora community gathered for an interfaith service in the very street in which the alleged crime took place.

The small community hall on Murray Street was packed as speakers from the community, belonging to several Christian faiths, found comfort in their religion and in each other.

At about the same time as the service was being held, Mersane Warria was being formally charged with the murders of seven of her children, along with a niece.

Ms Warria, 37, appeared before a magistrate at a bedside hearing in Cairns Hospital, where she is recovering from knife wounds.

Pastor Rodney Minniecon, who had travelled up from Brisbane to share in the mourning, said some good may yet come out of the tragedy.

"When I started to search my heart and sort out all this pain, why people are getting killed and why this happens, there's this tragedy and there's wars and wars and families are fighting one another...even family bonds are broken," he said.

"A mother never has a child unless she goes through pain, before that birth comes.

"And sometimes it's through pain that a new creation begins, a new life.

"We are living in a time right now today in Cairns where something new is going to happen.

"Something like a bonding that's bringing people back together.

"The pain of seeing what's just happened can reunite and rekindle a fire within us that we do need one another."

Ben Mitchell, from the Church of Latter Day Saints, said the Manoora community had a special place in all their hearts.

"This morning, we come together to try to find some understanding, some peace, comfort and even hope of how to get through this trying time," he said.

Pastor Ned Gabby told of a possible near-tragedy from within his own immediate family.

"I've tried to comprehend this tragedy that happened," he said.

"...My brother rang me and said, 'you know, my daughter was going to sleep over that night and the mother said, no don't go — you can go and visit the family after Christmas'.

"I just can't imagine. But for those who are here at this time, you know the decision that was made that day ... your life is changed by decisions."