The Westminster Vigil for Racial Justice resumes at Noon on Tuesday, February 23, the first Tuesday in Lent.
Responding to the incidents of police misconduct and racism abroad in America, we thought to make a public statement of our conviction that these things violate the spirit and will of our Lord. So last fall we made a banner, printed a few signs on our home printers, mounted them on cardboard and went to stand on State Street for one hour from noon until 1:00 pm every Tuesday.
The cold weather of November drove us to suspend the Vigil until this month and the beginning of Lent.
To some, Vigil suggests a bunch of folk with grim faces standing silently and rigidly for the entire hour. But that has not been us.
Rather, the opportunity to visit in the flesh, though 6 feet apart, has been a delight. Traffic on State Street is not great, but every so often a car or van will pass by and someone will wave of even beep their horn. We come when we can and stay as long as we can. Members of Westminster Church, FOCUS staff, folk from Beverwyck, and First Presbyterian have joined us. We’ll be there every Tuesday, weather permitting, beginning February 23 at noon. Come join us. ~ Elizabeth and Dave McMillan
