Local Vigils For Mass Shooting Victims

Leaders from South Jersey lesbian, gay, transgendered and bisexual organizations, religious centers and community groups will hold several vigils and ceremonies this weekend to honor the victims of the Orlando nightclub mass shooting.

The Greater Atlantic City GLBT Alliance will hold an ocean wreath ceremony and prayer vigil at 5 p.m. on June 20 on the beach in front of Tropicana Casino and Resort. Donations will be accepted on behalf of the victims of the Pulse Nightclub terror attack in Orlando.

Rev. Blake Spencer, of Ocean Heights Presbyterian Church in Egg Harbor Township, and Rev. Cynthia Cain, of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the South Jersey Shore in Galloway, will hold a Speaking Out vigil 11 a.m. Saturday at the Galloway church.

“The Church is often silent and that silence, when others are seeking judgment and seeing fear and hate, the silence really allows the fear and the hate to take root and remain,” Spencer said. “We didn’t want this to be a silent vigil. It’s about speaking out.”

Leaders will read the names of all the victims, they will sing and invite several congregation leaders, LGBT people and supporters to speak. The list of speakers is still being finalized.

If you know of another vigil or ceremony being held in Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland or Ocean Counties, please contact Nicole Leonard at nleonard@pressofac.com or call 609-272-7022.
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