In memory of the nine people killed at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, two African Methodist Episcopal churches in the Fort Worth area have organized a solidarity march and memorial prayer service for Thursday, June 25, 2015.
At 6 pm Thursday, marchers will start from the Tarrant County Commissioners Court, located at 100 E. Weatherford Street in Fort Worth, and walk to the Historic Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church at 116 Elm Street, where the prayer service will take place.
The Memorial Prayer Service is planned for 7 pm; prayers will be offered in memory of the Emanuel Nine, slain June 17, 2015.
These events offer a timely opportunity to respond to the call from our Bishops, the Rt. Rev. Rayford B. High, Jr. and the Rt. Rev. Scott Mayer, to pray and act in the wake of this tragedy and to respond to our neighbors’ invitation to stand together in support. In their joint statement, Bishops High and Mayer called us to
“Pray for the victims and their families. Pray for the people of Emanuel. Pray for our African American sisters and brothers who are reeling in the wake of yet another assault on a black church, historically a target of racist terrorists. Pray for our country, where violence increasingly seems the first response in too many situations. Pray for the shooter, that he may be brought not only to justice, but to repentance and transformation of life.”
For more information, contact the Rev. Dr. Sherryl Matlock, pastor of Historic Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church at 817-332-5071 or the Rev. Walter McDonald, pastor of Baker Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church at 817-336-5326.