An All Faith Vigil for Charlottesville Hosted by Tree of Life UU in McHenry

The Social Justice Team of the Tree of Life Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 5603 Bull Valley Road in McHenry will host and facilitate A Vigil for Charlottesville—All Creeds, All Colors, All Caring on Monday, August 14 from 8 to 9:30 pm.

The event will be vigil of prayer, outrage, commitment, and resistance after a weekend of White Nationalist, Neo-Nazi, and Ku Klux Klan violence in Charlottesville, Virginia. It is open to all faiths, creeds, races, gender identifications, and defenders of democracy.

“We will gather on the ground of the church to share prayer, song, and commitment and then proceed to the corner of Bull Valley Road and Crystal Lake Road for public roadside witness,” said Patrick Murfin, a volunteer with the Social Justice team. “Bring signs, banners, bug spray, and flashlights, lanterns, or shielded candles.”

The life and memory of Heather Heyer, 32-year-old Charlottesville resident who was killed when a car driven by a White Nationalist rammed a large group of anti-fascist protestors at the Unite the Right rally will be mourned and celebrated and the sacrifices of all the other who were assaulted, injured, and terrorized over the weekend. Also remembered will be Virginia State Police Lieutenant H. Jay Cullen and Trooper-Pilot Berke M. M. Bates who were killed in a helicopter crash while on duty connected to the Right Wing rally.

“America is at a crisis point,” Murfin said with the “so-called Alt-right feeling empowered by an administration that plays to their prejudices. American values of equality, inclusiveness, and democracy itself are under attack as never before. We are proud to stand with others across the country in standing up to it.”

For more information contact Tree of Life at 815 322-2464 or Murfin at 815 814-5645.