Area faith leaders plan prayer and memorial service

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

In response to the recent shooting deaths of nine people inside Emmanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C., the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance of Youngstown and Vicinity and the Mahoning Valley Association of Churches, along with other area community faith leaders, will host a community interfaith prayer and memorial service today to honor the lives lost from the attack at the historic worship center.

The prayer vigil will take place at 10 a.m. today at Reed’s Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, 1939 Jacobs Road, on Youngstown’s East Side.

The service will incorporate prayer, reflection, Scriptures, song and a lighting of candles. The entire community is invited to attend this event.

Participants will include the honorable Bishop George Murry of the Youngs-town Catholic Diocese; the Rev. P. Robert Tate, presiding elder of the Youngtown District Conference the African Methodist Episcopal Church; Rabbi Oresky of Ohev Tzedek-Shaarei Torah, youths of the Mahoning Valley Sojourn to the Past and other area clergy offering various prayers.

The Rev. Gwen Johnson is the host pastor.

Charleston police say a white man, Dylann Storm Roof, 21, sat with the Bible-study group for an hour Wednesday before pulling out a handgun and opening fire. Pastor Clementa Pinckney and eight others, ranging in age from 26 to 87, were killed.