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The Pensacola chapter of the Episcopal Peace
Fellowship holds a silent vigil at Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial Park in downtown Pensacola at 5:00 pm on the third Friday of every month. The August vigil focused on the area's victims of gun violence and was covered by WEAR Channel 3 news.
Lavon Brown attended the August vigil. Her son was shot and killed in 2012. "All lives matter. Not black lives, not white lives. Everybody matters," she said. "This needs to stop. Once you take life, they can't come back so they need to think twice before they shoot a gun."
William Sloan, communication director for the group, said "We're trying to get people together to express just by physical concern about this and their willingness to act on it. Violence just permeates our culture."
Carolyn Tucker, another fellowship member, said, "Everything we do and think, every action, every word, has implications and those implications can be for peace or they can be for violence. We're the ones who are responsible."
The next vigil will be held Friday, September 16, and will focus on the abolition of the death penalty, a stance officially supported by the Episcopal Church. The group invites everyone to attend the vigils or the monthly meetings. Meetings are held on the second Thursday of the month at Goatlips Chew and Brewhouse, 2811 Copter Road, off Davis Hwy N. in Pensacola. You can contact the group atepfpcola@gmail.com.
The Pensacola chapter of the Episcopal Peace Fellowship is not quite two years old.The group began with five faithful members and has grown by several more who attend meetings or show their support in other ways. One of the ministries that has been successful has been the addition of a prayer for victims of violence to the Prayers of the People at Pensacola area Episcopal churches.