PEORIA, Ill. – Community leaders and South Peoria residents gathered once again this weekend to pray for peace – at a service planned long before the violence of the past week, but with that violence at the top of everyone’s minds.
Six people shot and injured Wednesday night, and two people shot and killed Thursday morning, have left local pastors still looking for answers and for an end to the violence.
“I believe in the power of prayer,” said Milton Boyce, prayer service organizer, to 25 News. “I believe that if we come together collectively to pray, then we can come together to make other positive solutions for effective change in our community. After the shootings, I was like, we’ve got to do this; we’ve got to link up.”
The prayer service was at least the second to occur this week at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park.
Others at the vigil say poverty and some residual effects of racism may be to blame for the violence.
But they also say they’re praying for the community as a whole.
Following the service, a discussion was held at the Southside Community Center.
“This is my backyard. These are my neighbors. I wanted to make sure that we’re loving our neighbors and that the church comes together in unity and be known for love,” said Irene Lewis-Wimbley, director, to 25 News. “I feel like our solutions are the power of relationship. Do we know our neighbors? Do we know what their needs are? What their strengths are.”
Lewis-Wimbley says churches coming together also will help.
“We must be a reflection of our community. Let us be one. May we be one,” said Lewis-Wimbley.
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