Prayers for Peace in Pasadena and the Nation

Pastor Kerwin Manning of Pasadena Church led a crowd of an estimated 350 residents in a “Community Prayer Vigil” Sunday evening at Pasadena City Hall in response to a week of U.S. violence that saw citizens killed by police, five police officers in Dallas killed by an heavily armed gunman and a little boy shot to death in Altadena.

“I am asking everyone to come together in this community in the name of peace,” said Manning, calling for a deeper commitment from the community to end the latest spasm of violence.

Manning was joined by more than a dozen pastors and religious leaders from throughout Pasadena as well as Congresswoman Judy Chu, Mayor Terry Tornek and a number of City Councilmembers, including Tyron Hampton, John Kennedy and Margaret McAustin.

“We must take these acts of violence and turn them to good, for the families of Dallas and bring justice to our nation,” said Eric Johnson of the First Sunday Fellowship.

Pastor Mayra Macedo-Nolan also spoke out against the Dallas shootings, as well as the shooting in Orlando, Florida, quoting Pastor Tracy Blackman, who said, “Guns are loaded by the energy of fear and hate.”

“That is the hate we must end,” said Noble.

“Tonight’s event is amazing,” said Councilmember Tyron Hampton, adding, “This is a call for action, for positive change, whatever it takes.”

Speakers offered prayers for police shooting victims Alton Sterling, Philando Castile and Dylan Noble, as well as four year-old Altadena shooting victim Salvador Esparza, along with Dallas police officers Brent Thompson, Patrick Zamarippa, Michael Krol, Lorne Ahrens and Michael Smith.

The gathered religious leaders also asked for a number of commitments from the community and the city, including asking the broader faith community to commit to an ongoing “ministry of presence” in the city, by attending meetings of the City Council, Pasadena Unified meetings, and “any other event or venue that needs us to shine.”

The religious leaders also asked the City Council and Police Department to publicly and officially condemn “the disproportionate deaths and acts of violence against African-Americans,” as well as asking them to condemn “the vicious murder and attacks against the Dallas police officers.”

In addition, Pastor Manning asked the City Council and Police to commit to participating in a forum to “listen more deeply to the community” as well as committing to “increasing the depth of positive relationships between the police and young people in the city.”