Birmingham faith leaders answer call to combat gun violence

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ( WIAT ) — Over the next 30 days, faith leaders across Birmingham will open their church doors at 6 p.m. to pray, go out in the community and pass along a message of hope.

On Thursday, many of those leaders gathered at the Epic Center to kick-start this effort to gun violence in the Magic City. Every pastor in Birmingham is asked to participate in this effort.

“It is the calling together of the faith community, for us to come together and have an intentional conversation about what we’re experiencing in community and how we are responding to a community that’s hurting,” Onoyemi Williams with LiveFree Alabama said.

With seven killed just last weekend in the city , Williams said the call to stop the violence requires more than just talking about it — faith and community leaders must interact with residents.

“We’re going to be deploying people in the community with stickers and a little card that just says ‘I love you, I need you, how can I help you?’ It’s a way to break into a conversation,” said Williams.

Faith leaders aren’t the only ones asked to pray and get out in the community, as they’re encouraging the youth to follow their lead.

“We’re going to be in charge next. We’re the next generation. What are we going to have left? We need to move forward, and how are we going to do that without people my age?” Jamya Dickson with Students Demand Action said.

With over 75 faith congregations taking part, the goal is to touch the lives of everyone in the community in hopes of reducing crime with one message.

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