June 8, 2020

Monday Mourning at Peace Park in Cape Girardeau

As an effort to encourage local clergy members to confront racism and actively seek social justice within local communities, the social justice ministry at St. James A.M.E. Church called faith leaders to a "Monday Mourning" event June 8, 2020, at Peace Park in Cape Girardeau. The interfaith event allowed local religious leaders to express their repentance for previous inactions against social injustice and served to compel local clergy to actively confront social injustices.

The Rev. James Muriuki with Redeemer Episcopal Church in Cairo, Illinois, delivers a prayer to conclude a "Monday Mourning" call-to-action event June 8, 2020, at Peace Park in Cape Girardeau. The event was called by the social justice ministry at St. James A.M.E. Church to encourage local clergy members to confront racism and actively seek social justice in their communities.

Christ Episcopal Church pastor Edie Bird, right, guides group members in the hymn "Singing For Our Lives" on June 8, 2020, at Peace Park in Cape Girardeau, during a call-to-action event for local clergy members to confront racism and actively seek social justice in their communities. The concluding verse of the song was personalized to include a message asking for forgiveness for previous inactions against racial inequality.

Rev. Renita Green of St. James A.M.E. Church speaks to Omar Aziz with the Islamic Center of Cape Girardeau prior to a "Monday Mourning" call-to-action event held June 8, 2020, at Peace Park in Cape Girardeau for local clergy members to confront racism and actively seek social justice in their communities.

While standing with his standard poodle Bella, retired Episcopal priest Bob Towner asks the Rev. James Muriuki, left; pastor of Redeemer Episcopal Church in Cairo, Illinois; for a copy of a prayer Muriuki delivered to conclude a "Monday Mourning" event June 8, 2020, at Peace Park in Cape Girardeau.

A sign bearing a message of change rests near the pavilion at Peace Park as local clergy members and churchgoers participate in a "Monday Mourning" call-to-action event June 8, 2020, in Cape Girardeau.

Pastor Joe Rowley of Emanuel United Church of Christ in Jackson delivers the opening prayer at a "Monday Mourning" call-to-action event June 8, 2020, at Peace Park in Cape Girardeau.

Local clergy members and churchgoers listen as the Rev. Adrian Taylor Jr. speaks during a "Monday Mourning" call-to-action event June 8, 2020, at Peace Park in Cape Girardeau for local clergy members to confront racism and actively seek social justice in their communities. "I'm not interested in white power or black power -- I'm interested in the Holy Ghost's power," Taylor said.

Islamic Center of Cape Girardeau member Omar Aziz, right, shares his perspectives during a "Monday Mourning" call-to-action event June 8, 2020, at Peace Park in Cape Girardeau for local clergy members to confront racism and actively seek social justice in their communities. Speaking through his face mask, Aziz expressed condolences to the family of George Floyd in the wake of his "tragic" and "unjust" death.

The Rev. Ellen Gurnon of First Presbyterian Church, left, leads in the symbolic breaking of bread with assistance from the Rev. Renita Green of St. James A.M.E. Church during a "Monday Mourning" call-to-action event held June 8, 2020, at Peace Park in Cape Girardeau for local clergy members to confront racism and actively seek social justice in their communities.

From left, the Rev. Eric Schmidt of Grace United Methodist Church stands with Helen Schmidt and Cas Schmidt, 15, during a "Monday Mourning" call-to-action event held June 8, 2020, at Peace Park in Cape Girardeau for local clergy members to confront racism and actively seek social justice in their communities.

The Rev. Adrian Taylor Jr. speaks about the power of the Holy Ghost during a "Monday Mourning" call-to-action event held June 8, 2020, at Peace Park in Cape Girardeau for local clergy members to confront racism and actively seek social justice in their communities.

The Rev. Bruce Gentry, director of the Baptist Student Center on the Southeast Missouri State University campus, leads a reading of a repentance during a "Monday Mourning" call-to-action event on June 8, 2020, at Peace Park in Cape Girardeau.

The Rev. Renita Green delivers concluding remarks encouraging local action against social injustice during a "Monday Mourning" call-to-action event held June 8, 2020, at Peace Park in Cape Girardeau. "Heart by heart, one by one, we must stop speaking peace where there is no peace," Green said. "We must stop allowing those who sit on our pews to be comfortable with their -isms. We must call it as God sees it. Not being afraid of our positions, worried about if [church administrators] will fire us. We need to worry about if God is going to fire us."

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As an effort to encourage local clergy members to confront racism and actively seek social justice within local communities, the social justice ministry at St. James A.M.E. Church called faith leaders to a "Monday Mourning" event June 8, 2020, at Peace Park in Cape Girardeau. The interfaith event allowed local religious leaders to express their repentance for previous inactions against social injustice and served to compel local clergy to actively confront social injustices.

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