An Invitation to Gather for Peace
Interfaith Peace Vigil, May 10 at 5:00 p.m.
There are moments in the life of a community when it becomes clear that we cannot do this work alone.
The world feels tangled right now. There is grief we can name, and grief we do not yet have words for. There is division that runs deep, and a longing, sometimes just beneath the surface, for something more whole, more human, more rooted in love.
On Saturday, May 10 at 5:00 p.m., we will host an Interfaith Peace Vigil here at Holy Spirit. This gathering is part of an ongoing rhythm among faith communities in our area, as we rotate from one place of worship to another, showing up for one another and for the shared work of peace.
What makes this gathering meaningful is not that we all believe the same things. We do not, and we do not need to. Instead, we come bringing the depth of our own traditions, the prayers, practices, and wisdom that have shaped us, and we make space for one another to do the same.
In our Lutheran tradition, we are shaped by practices that invite us to be present, to listen deeply, and to trust that God is already at work within us and among us. At this vigil, we will lean into that spirit. Together, we will engage a simple, contemplative practice shaped around poetry, words that echo the heartbeat of scripture, allowing them to move through us slowly, gently, and honestly. Not rushing past the tension of the world as it is, but also not losing sight of the world as it could be.
Because part of what we are doing in gatherings like this is practicing hope.
We are learning how to sit in the middle of what feels knotted and unresolved while still orienting ourselves toward a future shaped by love, grace, and justice. A love that is strong enough to hold difference. A grace deep enough to meet us where we are. A justice wide enough to lift all of us without leaving anyone behind.
This is how bridges are built.
Not all at once, and not through grand gestures alone, but through simple, faithful acts of showing up. Through listening. Through praying side by side. Through allowing our lives to be shaped, little by little, by the presence of our neighbors.
In a time when it is easy to retreat into what is familiar, this is an invitation to step toward one another instead.
Come as you are.
Come with your questions, your hopes, your weariness, your prayers.
Come ready to stand alongside others who are also seeking peace, not as an abstract idea, but as something we are called to live into together.
We hope you will join us.