Solidarity Gathering: “Surround the City with Light and Love”

Palo Alto clergy and faith leaders from diverse traditions invite all members of the Palo Alto and neighboring communities to stand against hate and aggression, and join in prayer that we can be a community devoted to respect, dignity and safety for all people.

On Sunday, August 15, the Rev. Dr. Debra Murray, an African-American woman and the Senior Pastor of First United Methodist Church of Palo Alto, experienced the most recent in an escalating series of hateful incidents in which she was threatened because of her Black Lives Matter sign and her leadership in the community. This was among a list of incidents directed at BLM and African-American religious leaders, community members, and houses of worship in the Palo Alto area.

Will you join us in surrounding Pastor Debra with love and
praying for our communities to be places of love and light
in this simple, quiet, physically distanced and masked prayer gathering?

Multifaith Voices for Peace and Justice, of which UUCPA is a member, has helped to organize this event, and we hope that many UUCPA folks will be there. Participants are invited to find a place, staying safely distanced from other individuals or groups, on the sidewalks or parking lot surrounding First United Methodist Church at 625 Hamilton Ave. between Byron and Webster. You are welcome to bring signs of support that are positive and not polarizing. This is not a protest, but a prayer gathering for light and love. Click here to download the logo if you wish to use it to make your own sign.

Click here to see and share the Facebook page for this event.
Click here to download a PDF flyer to share.
Please help spread the word and invite others to join this gathering of light and love!

You are welcome to stand, kneel or bring a chair or cushion for sitting, meditating, or praying. PLEASE DO NOT FULLY BLOCK THE SIDEWALK, but leave space for pedestrians to get by. After some time of quiet prayer in place, participants will be invited to walk around the church, again, staying physically distanced. You may pick up stickers to wear (of the above graphic) at the front door of the church.

A handout of inclusive prayer suggestions will be available on the Multifaith Voices for Peace and Justice website soon.

Everyone is welcome.

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