Hundreds gather for Franklin prayer vigil as speakers call for end to racism

A crowd of several hundred people spilled over from the parking lot at the First Missionary Baptist Church in Franklin Tuesday evening to hear what could be called an urgent cry to finally begin working together for a solution to end systemic racism in the United States.

The Jesus and Justice Candlelight Prayer Vigil was held in response to the Memorial Day death of George Floyd at the hands of a law enforcement officer. It featured a number of speakers — pastors, community leaders, city officials and students — who may have come from different perspectives but ultimately shed a similar light on the issue of racial injustice. 

Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was killed by a white Minneapolis police offer named Derek Chauvin, who pinned Floyd with his knee as the victim said several times he couldn’t breathe.

The event ended with the reading of names of many other victims who met similar fates as Floyd did.

“I appeal to my friends, Christian brothers and sisters of white America, believers of Christ whether you’re in Franklin or [anywhere else] in America, that we have to do more than just speak up,” Bryant Herbert, pastor of New Seventh-Day Adventist Church, said to kick off the evening that ended with prayer and the lighting of candles.

“I am reminding us that God is watching us and seeing how the Christian community will respond to this. We need to not only speak out against racist people and acts, but also help change the system.”

Here are excerpts from other speakers at the vigil.

Pastor Timothy Gaines

First Missionary Baptist Church

“With this coalition of people here, we can make a difference. We can make substantial change. Too many times we have had protesters and nothing came from it. … We have an opportunity to speak out, call evil what it is and do good.” 

Eric Stuckey        

Franklin city administrator

“The most important thing I can do is humbly listen, seek to understand and engage. But I want you to know your city is committed to serving and protecting all of our residents. That’s why what we have witnessed [Floyd’s death] shakes us to our core, because we’re about protecting life, enhancing life, not taking it. [I leave you with] three things: speak up, stand together and demonstrate love for your neighbor.”

Howard Garrett

Former candidate for Franklin alderman at large

After thinking about what he wanted to say, “the only thing that kept coming to my mind is that I’m tired. I’m tired of having these conversations, I’m tired of having these riots, these protests. I’m tired of having these vigils. I’m tired of trying to convince you that we share the same blood. I’m tired of trying to convince that we serve the same Jesus. I’m tired of trying to persuade you that we pray to the same God.”

Chris Whitney

Founder and director of One Generation Away

“We call ourselves a Christian nation but we allow a people that sit in our congregations to be oppressed, and we don’t do anything to stop it. If Sunday remains the most segregated day of the week, we will never have the voice that God’s called us to have.”

Chris Williamson

Senior pastor of Strong Tower Bible Church

Williamson made a reference to his T-shirt that read “I can’t breathe,” which is what Floyd repeated as Chauvin pinned him down with his knee. 

“One of the things that helps me during this time of lament, sorrow, anger, discouragement, sadness and rage is knowing that my savior can identify with this statement on my shirt because there was a time when he could not breathe. We do know that crucifixion was designed to kill its victims through suffocation.”