Local Prayer Vigils Offer Interfaith Dialogue After Charleston Shooting

Two Twin Cities Prayer Vigils Held for Victims of Charleston Church Shooting

[dropcap]O[/dropcap]ne week after a white supremacist gunned down nine people at a bible study at Charleston’s Emanuel AME Church, two African Methodist Episcopal churches in the Twin Cities opened their doors to anyone for a prayer vigil.

More than 200 people attended an interfaith prayer vigil at St. Peter’s AME Church in Minneapolis on Wednesday June 24, joining hands, and raising their voices to pray for the eradication of racism and hate in our community and in our country.

“It was a very moving time, we joined hands in prayer and sang ‘We shall overcome,’” said Rev. Nazim Fakir, at St. Peter’s AME.

[pullquote style=”left” quote=”dark”]Despite what happened in Charleston, our church is open to all, open to whosoever will come. I want our church to remain committed to that mission.[/pullquote]

 

 

 

 

The prayer vigil hosted in conjunction with the Minnesota Council of Churches, welcomed a Muslim leader from the Islamic Center of Minnesota, Catholic priests from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, a Jewish Rabbi from Mount Zion Temple, and a number of Christian pastors from across the area.

“Despite what happened in Charleston, our church is open to all, open to whosoever will come. I want our church to remain committed to that mission,” said Rev. Fakir. “A gentleman from the Islamic Center (of Minnesota), offered his prayers in Arabic and English. To stand in a Christian church and comfortably be able to do that, was very reflective for me.”

Reverend Fakir said he was proud his church welcomed all with open arms.

“That represents that we were able to set aside our differences and embrace our commonality, as children of Abraham,” said Rev. Fakir.

[pullquote style=”right” quote=”dark”]We need to continue talking about the scourge of racism and white supremacy, how to eradicate it and combat it.[/pullquote]

 

 

 

 

Reverend Fakir believes this event could be a springboard for continued dialogue in the Twin Cities.

“We need to continue talking about the scourge of racism and white supremacy, how to eradicate it and combat it,” said Fakir.

Wayman AME Church in Minneapolis also held a prayer vigil Wednesday night.

Related Articles: Remembering the Rich History of Emanuel AME Church

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