The Pacific Northwest Annual (regional) Conference of The United Methodist Church will take time out of its annual gathering to remember those killed and injured in the Orlando Pulse Nightclub shooting earlier this month and to stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ community that is so often a victim of hate.
Attendees of the conference, representing 250 churches in Washington and Northern Idaho, will gather outside of the Showplex Center, on the grounds of the Washington State Fairgrounds in Puyallup, Washington at 9:00 p.m. on Friday to hear words from their Bishop Grant J. Hagiya and other church leaders. Then they will lead a candlelight walk to express their concern for all people and all of God’s creation.
“The purpose of the walk is to stand as a witness to God’s love for all of God’s children,“ Hagiya shared, “and to stand against gun violence and voices that attempt to set some part of God’s creation apart or say that some people are less worthy of God’s love.”
Local church members and the public are invited to join with conference attendees at the event.
What: Rally and Candlelight Walk of Remembrance
Who: United Methodist Churches gathered for the 143rd Pacific Northwest Annual Conference Session; Bishop Grant J. Hagiya, Presiding Bishop of the Greater Northwest Area; other church leaders from Washington State and Northern Idaho; and members of the public.
When: Friday, June 24, 2016, 9:00 p.m.
Where: Showplex Center, Washington State Fairgrounds, Puyallup, Washington.
Why: To stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ community and stand against gun violence.
Media Contact: Patrick Scriven, Director of Communications, Pacific Northwest Annual Conference. 206-304-9284 (cell), pscriven@pnwumc.org
Related item: Message to churches from Bishop Hagiya on Monday, June 13. http://greaternw.org/a-statement-on-the-orlando-tragedy-from-bishop-hagiya/
Photo Credit: “stand in solidarity” by Flickr user Penn State, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
