Portland Prayer Vigil
Event Description:
“Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke?" Isaiah 58:6
Our nation has reached the tipping point and America's historic foundations of justice and righteousness lay broken and fully exposed. When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do? God has not left us without a blueprint. It is time to run into the gaps, repair the breach and raise up the devastated places. Join us and thousands across the nation for 8 days of prayer and practical public action in the streets of Portland.
A beautiful organization called Civil Righteousness recently called the church in America to an Isaiah 58 Fast, which began on Saturday, May 30th and continues through June 19th, a date also known as Juneteenth, the day in 1865 when American slavery officially ended.
Every city has places where something tragic and or divisive has occurred, which influences our ability to live together and love one another across cultural lines. We call these “altars of pain”. We want to join with others around the nation to put feet to our faith, by turning every altar of pain into an altar of prayer.
We invite you to write on your mask, on the front or back of your shirt, or to hold a sign with words that declare the hope and justice of God as a prophetic declaration and prayer. Some examples are: "Hope" "Mercy" "Peace" "Freedom" "Equality" "Justice" "Love"
This is a PEACEFUL act of Prayer and Unity. Please do not bring signs that are controversial or political. We are upholding, standing, and lamenting with the Black community in this moment. We have tents available if rain is likely. See Facebook for the latest details and instructions.
LOCATIONS (places of past or current pain): (Google Map to Locations)
- Fri, June 12th at empty lot across from Emmanuel hospital (over 400 houses were demolished for the hospital and Coliseum)
- Sat, June 13th at North Park Blocks, near 707 NW Everett (First black owned business in PDX)
- Sun, June 14th at the Historic Vanport Marker near the entrance to Delta Park, off of I-5 North
- Mon, June 15th at or near 3962 NE MLK (Possum incident and old Burger Barn)
- Tue, June 16th at the N Skidmore I-5 overpass (Kendra James memorial to represent those killed by police in Portland)
- Wed, June 17th at the new Oregon Convention Center plaza around the Martin Luther King, Jr statue on the corner of MLK, Jr Blvd and the MAX line (which is south of where the Choke Hold incident occurred near 7-11 at NE Weidler & MLK, Jr Blvd)
- Thu, June 18th at the entrance to Laurelhurst Park at SE Pine & SE 33rd St (which is east of SE 31st & SE Pine, where Mulageta Seraw was killed by skinheads)
- Fri, June 19th along the Willamette River at the Japanese American Historical Plaza, just south of the black Steel Bridge
SCHEDULE:
- 5:30pm, Welcome and acknowledgement of what has happened in each place; prayers of repentance to lead into lament
- 5:40pm, Silent prayer and lament: The silence will symbolize that we are listening, learning, and standing together as one.
- 6:10pm, Prayers for the redemptive hope of Jesus in each place
- 6:20pm, Worship
- 6:50pm, Closing Remarks/Prayer
- 7:00pm, Dismiss
Also on Thursday, June 18th at 9:30am, there will be a Gospel Gathering via ZOOM - Race, Justice & the Kingdom of God - A Pastoral Conversation.
In collaboration with . . .
