Prayer vigil in Wisconsin Rapids for Alex Pretti

WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wis. (WFHR / WIRI) – More than 75 people gathered for a prayer vigil at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Wisconsin Rapids on Sunday night, in reaction to the federal immigration takeover in Minneapolis and the fatal killings by immigration enforcement there. 

Clergy from the Grace Ministerial Group gathered to process the shooting and killing of Alex Pretti on Saturday, and of Renee Good earlier this month. 

“I’m finding most often in these last several weeks that I have no words. There are not enough words,” said Rev. Michelle Nicodemus. “There are not enough emojis, there’s not enough of anything to express everything that I am feeling.

As part of the service, clergy members circulated throughout the congregation to pass a flame from candle to candle. Rev. Caleb McGregor shared his thoughts as the candles were lit.

“ We light the flames tonight knowing that there are people in our country, we are thinking of Minneapolis, but other places as well, whose lights have been snuffed out through death, through the tearing apart of families, through trauma, through fear,” said McGregor.

Rev. Beth Rohn-Habhegger led the group in songs such as “They’ll know we are Christians” and “This little light of mine.”

“We know that it feels very dark,” said Rohn-Habhegger. “And we have been promised that light conquers darkness. We rest in the light of God’s love.”

National faith call to action

Those gathered then tuned into the National Faith Call to Action and heard from clergy all across the country and from multiple religions calling for an end to the violence and to lament others killed by ICE or while in immigration custody.

Clergy members on the national call urged those in attendance to pray for justice, healing and protection for communities. They asked for people to take action by contacting their representatives and demanding accountability.

Local call to action

Rev. Caleb McGregor issued a local call to action asking those in attendance to contact their representatives and ask for reform or replacement of DHS and ICE and the immediate cessation of deployed ICE agents in cities and towns.

“ The fact that several federal judges have stepped in to restrict ICE’s conduct, strongly suggest that these deployments have been improper and unlawful in practice,” explained McGregor. “Objections have been voiced in Congress, the court, expert testimony, and unprecedented nationwide protest.”