About 200 people attended a community candlelight vigil in Wiese Park Thursday night, praying, singing and processing the morning’s gun violence at the Perry High School.
The Rev. Melody Webb, pastor of the Plymouth Congregational Church in Des Moines, joined about half-a-dozen local ministers and lay figures who led the vigil.
“I’m here and I know other pastors and people of faith are here to try to shine some light in the middle of this dark time in Iowa, in Perry, and to remind the people who are here who are suffering that they are not suffering alone,” Webb said. “Senseless and tragic things happen in our world every day. It’s part of the chaos created from people who aren’t always looking out for their neighbor. When things like this happen, I think it is so important to remember that we are each a human link, that we’re meant to live on this planet looking out for one another.”
School is canceled Friday in the Perry public schools and at St. Patrick Catholic School.
Counseling services will be available at Perry Public Library on Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and at the St. Pat’s gym from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. for anyone in need.
St. Pat’s will also have a Rosary Friday at 6:30 p.m. in the school gymnasium.
