Home Letter: Monthly prayer vigil at Waynesboro YMCA to promote racial equality
Local

Letter: Monthly prayer vigil at Waynesboro YMCA to promote racial equality

Letters
waynesboro
(© Gary L Hider – stock.adobe.com)

By Clyde D. Brown and Paul H. Pingel

The shameful intersection of racism and anti-Semitism represented by the defacement of the mural at the Waynesboro YMCA needs a community response.

Our group, the Christian Coalition for Equity and Justice (CCE&J), will hold our monthly prayer vigil in the mural area at the YMCA at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 21. On this Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, we invite all who have an interest in seeking God’s help to guide us to racial, religious and ethnic reconciliation, equity and justice to join and peacefully pray with us next weekend.

For nearly three years, the CCE&J, a multi-racial group composed of members of the predominantly Black Christ Tabernacle Church of God in Christ and predominantly white Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, both in Waynesboro, has met weekly for discussions and fellowship.  We have also conducted a public monthly prayer vigil on the third Saturday for the past two years.

Our overarching goal as a group is, with God’s help, to promote racial equity, justice and reconciliation within our lives and our community.  The recent defacement of the YMCA has had a deep impact on the members of our group, a frustration we believe is shared by the majority of our community.

Bishop Clyde D. Brown represents the Christ Tabernacle Church of God in Christ. Pastor Paul H. Pingel represents Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Support AFP




Latest News

baltimore orioles
Baseball

What’s up with the Baltimore Orioles? Where do we even start?

movie filming
Local

Staunton is going to make videos to try to get people from NoVa, Richmond to come here

The City of Staunton is going to waste $15,000 of the money that we pay in state taxes for a digital documentary series that will “showcase the passion and craftsmanship of its local artisan community.”

jail prison mental health involuntary confinement
Virginia

Lynchburg drug dealer who ran fentanyl operation from jail gets 21 years

A Lynchburg drug dealer, with balls of steel, used friends and family members to traffic tens of thousands of pressed fentanyl pills while he was incarcerated at the Lynchburg Adult Detention Center awaiting trial on gang and firearm charges.

staunton
Local, Politics

Staunton: Millionaires win again, while everyday taxpayers get screwed

prescription drug bottle
Politics, Virginia

Virginia budget breakdown delays relief to those struggling with opioid addiction

uva baseball
Baseball

UVA Baseball: ‘Hoos lay down in rubber game, lose 10-5 at Louisville

amanda dimeo staunton
Local

Staunton: Amanda DiMeo named deputy city manager, taking on dual role