Photos: Lighting Candles in the Dark
A candlelight vigil was held at Hotaling Park in Voorheesville on Aug. 11 to call for unity and peace amid recent violence across the country.
The Enterprise — Michael Koff
All lives matter: About three dozen people gather in Voorheesville for a vigil last Thursday evening hosted by the new Methodist minister, Gary Kubitz, lower right, in Hotaling Park. In the midst of national violence, he wanted to make a call for peace and unity.
The Enterprise — Michael Koff
The vigil-goers hear first from Fazana Saleem-Ismail of Guilderland, at top, reading from the Qu’ran that God “would have made you a single community but He wanted to test you…So compete with each other in doing good.”
The Enterprise — Michael Koff
“No religion is an island,” said Stewart Pattison, of the Hamilton Union Presbyterian Church, leading the group in prayer. Dianne Luci, lower left, lights a candle.
The Enterprise — Michael Koff
Then, as darkness gathers, the group repeats a prayer, led by each of four religious leaders, “God created Jewish people. Jewish lives matter…Muslim lives matter…Sikh lives matter…Hindu lives matter…Buddhist lives matter…Christian lives matter…Asian lives matter…Latino lives matter…Black lives matter…White lives matter...Blue lives matter…The lives of our leaders matter….
The Enterprise — Michael Koff
Guiding light: Hamilton United Presbyterian Pastor Stewart Pattison, center, holds a candle last Thursday evening at Hotaling Park in Voorheesville for a peace vigil hosted by United Methodist Church Pastor Gary Kubitz.
The Enterprise — Michael Koff
Lighting the way to peace, a candle burns during the ceremony while pastors read Biblical passages and say every life matters last Thursday in Voorheesville.