It was a great crowd of over 1,500 people at Turner Park for the Refugee Prayer Vigil on January 31st. It was a time of prayer, teaching, story telling and exhorting us to take risks to love our neighbor and welcome the stranger.

Comments on Facebook following the vigil were all like these:

“A moving and beautiful evening showing our support and love to our refugee and immigrant neighbors.”

“Very moving evening, seeing so many people of different races, backgrounds, and faiths coming together in the name of peace and unity. This is what my America looks like!”

Thanks to faith leaders including:

  • Fr. Daniel Hendrickson, S.J  of Creighton University,
  • Bishop Brian Maas of the ELCA,
  • Rabbi Steven Abraham of Beth El Synagogue,
  • Rev. Eric Elnes of Countryside Community
  • Deacon Marty Smith of St. Margaret Mary Catholic
  •   for teaching and praying and calling on us all to heed God’s injunction to welcome the stranger

    Rabbi Steven Abraham of Beth El Synagogue

And also to:

  • Rev Jane Florence and Rev Cynthia Lindenmeyer of First UMC
  • Sr. Katheen Erickson, RSM
  • Rev. Ernesto Medina, of St. Martha Episcopal, Papillion
  • Rev. Sergio Amaya of San Andres Lutheran
  • Rev. Cyndi Simpson, of Second Unitarian Church
  • Rev. Scott Jones of First Congregational

For leading powerful prayers asking God’s love for refugees, for those who persecute them, for immigration and elected officials and for all of us so that we have the courage to welcome the stranger.

Thanks to our Partners

Thanks especially to the staff of Lutheran Family Services and Refugee Empowerment Center who worked with OTOC and IPL to organize this vigil and especially for Lacey Studnicka of LFS for her tireless efforts to pull it all together. And thanks to other organizations who invited their networks including Nebraska Appleseed, ACLU, Anti-Defamation League

Media Coverage included

Omaha World Herald

http://www.omaha.com/news/metro/uno-professor-forced-to-flee-bosnian-war-tells-midtown-vigil/article_8433ae6a-5c9a-510e-9cc3-690d9397f6cb.html

KMTV

http://www.kmtv.com/news/local-news/omaha-groups-host-vigil-to-support-local-refugees

KETV

http://www.ketv.com/article/1000-plus-pack-turner-park-for-refugee-prayer-vigil/8661451

WOWT

http://www.wowt.com/content/news/Peaceful-actions-taken-to-support-refugees-and-immigrants-412365203.html