Burlington church standing up for racial justice silently
Dozens to over one hundred people line Battery and Pearl St. in solidarity with Black Lives Matter
Dozens to over one hundred people line Battery and Pearl St. in solidarity with Black Lives Matter
Dozens to over one hundred people line Battery and Pearl St. in solidarity with Black Lives Matter
Members of the Episcopal Cathedral Church of Saint Paul gather at the church every Sunday. Not for service, but for a silent vigil.
The church started doing silent vigils facing the street as hundreds of cars drive by to show their support for the Black Lives Matter movement.
They started in June after the death of George Floyd. The church had originally decided to do it every month, but after 150 people came to the first one, they decided to do it every week.
“Our world today is one of being vocal and kind of shouting at each other all the time, which either on social media or in the streets and we wanted to model something else, which is the dignity and prayerfulness and sacredness of silence,” said Rev. Deacon Stan Baker.
Today, about 30 people stood socially distanced, holding signs supporting Black Lives and demanding and end to violence.
Church leaders hope the message goes beyond the parish.
“I think it’s time — way past time, for the church, for the Christian message to reclaim itself in society,” said Rev. Greta Getlein.
That message being one that fights for racial justice.
“All lives matter, that is a true statement. But we don’t live like that. We don’t live as if all lives matter, we live as if white, powerful lives matter.”
The silent vigil started at 1 p.m. and lasted for 30 minutes. For the last eight minutes, they kneel to honor George Floyd and all the Black lives killed from police brutality.
“Many of us being white at this church — we know that it falls to all of us to do this work,” said parishioner, Raquel Aronhime.
Rev. Getlein says they will continue to have silent vigils until they see change happen.
“My hope is that the silence witness doesn’t end when we leave at 1:30, but that it carries us into action during the week,” added Rev. Deacon Baker.