Houstonians rally, pray for AME church.
Tragedy in Charleston, S.C. brought about a spirit of unity in Houston as clergy from several faith groups joined together Saturday to remember nine men and women who were slain Wednesday during Bible study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Catholics, Protestants, Jews and Muslims gathered as one on Saturday at Wesley AME Church on Dowling.
They sang and lifted hands to prayer, asking God to embrace the families of those who lost and for their community of faith.
“This tragedy breaks our heart but it does not break our spirit,” said Rev. Brenda Payne, an AME minister.
M.J. Kahn, president of the Islamic Society of Greater Houston, said the massacre of religious worshippers in South Carolina affects everyone, regardless of their creed.
“We all feel the same pain. We are all part of one human family,” he told hundreds of people inside the historic church, located due south of downtown Houston.
Bishop Michael Rinehart of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America said he has more questions than answers about what happened and, at first, had no great desire to speak at the vigil.
“I just wanted to come and cry and pray and yet, we cannot be silent,” Rinehart told the congregation. “Leaders have to speak up. We have to call this out.” ‘Hearts are shattered’
Archbishop Joseph Fiorenza said more than 1 million Roman Catholics in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston stand in solidarity with members of Houston’s AME community.
“We know your hearts are shattered,” Fiorenza said. “There is no other place on this earth that I’d rather be today than here.”
In between the prayers, thundering songs of praise rolled like a wave across the church. The congregation clapped along, with members standing up and shouting “Amen” as the spirit hit them.
Although there were times when some in the pews dabbed at their eyes, most seemed to look ahead with hope for the future. ‘Must stand up to evil’
Civic leaders also offered their thoughts and prayers about the massacre and the need for people of faith to stand together.
As a longtime criminal prosecutor, Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson said it was obvious that “evil does walk among us.” She said the motive behind the massa- cre was obvious.
“It happened because of hatred and it happened because of racism,” Anderson said. “We must stand up to evil.”
U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, said she was proud of the Wesley AME church for bringing together people from different backgrounds and beliefs.
“You have brought them safely to this place and not one gun was pointed at them and no one has died,” she said.
Church member Shanquita Alexander felt uplifted at the number of leaders from other faith groups who attended the vigil.
“It just really filled my heart to see everyone come together. We’re all worshipping the same God,” she said.