Bishop Eric Lloyd, of Rhema International Church in Harper Woods, pictured center in the blazer and blue jeans, and Bishop Daryl Harris, president of Ceasefire Detroit and Detroit Community Clergy Alliance, far left in the baseball cap, gather with residents for the prayer walk May 16.

Photo by Patrica O’Blenes

Eastpointe Fire Chaplain Kevin Lancaster offers blessings while at Foot Locker.

Photo by Patricia O’Blenes

“We need to learn how to resolve issues that we have in ways that don’t include violence,” Eastpointe City Councilman Rob Baker said.

Photo by Patrica O’Blenes

EASTPOINTE/HARPER WOODS/DETROIT — With the recent wave of crime that has hit Eastpointe — including a shooting that left two people dead and a stabbing in which one person was killed — a group of pastors recently gathered with about 125 residents to lift the community in prayer and denounce violence.

Bishop Eric Lloyd, of Rhema International Church in Harper Woods, organized a prayer walk May 16 that lined Kelly Road near Eight Mile Road. Together, the group walked several streets from Rhema International Church, crossed over into Detroit, up to Juliana Avenue in Eastpointe, and returned to the church.

“We want to bring awareness to the violence. We want the violence to stop,” Lloyd said. “Eight Mile and Kelly is the area God has given us, and we want to stop the violence from happening.”

Bishop Daryl Harris, president of Ceasefire Detroit and Detroit Community Clergy Alliance, led the prayer walk. Using a megaphone, he called out several chants, which the crowd echoed, including “No more violence, no more killing, no more shootings, enough is enough. Save our babies, save our children, save our families. We’re walking for peace.”

Local police briefly blocked off Eight Mile and Kelly roads for the walkers to safely cross the streets. Some drivers passing by honked their horns and waved. Several walkers formed circles and held hands as they recited prayers at different stops on the route. A few participants carried signs that read “Jesus loves you, stop the killing.”

“Get five families on your block and just make a pact of peace, love and respect for one another,” Harris said. “Detroit does not have a crime problem. Detroit does not have a violence problem. Detroit has a relationship problem. Teamwork makes the dream work.”

The participants stopped to pray a few times in front of different buildings, including the Foot Locker where the shooting occurred May 3.

“These are not just numbers we’re talking about. People were harmed here just a couple of weeks ago. People lost their lives here just a couple of weeks ago,” Harris said. “Every time violence shows up, we need to show up.”

Eastpointe Fire Chaplain Kevin Lancaster offered blessings while at Foot Locker.

“Father God, in the name of Jesus Christ we come together as your children. We stand on this ground, God, where lives have been taken. We now pray for them, we pray for our cities, God,” Lancaster said. “We come together, God, and pray and turn away from our wicked ways, we pray that you will heal our land. We pray for peace. We pray for our children right now. We pray that they’ll experience you.”

Eastpointe City Councilman Rob Baker weighed in on the issue.

“We need to learn how to resolve issues that we have in ways that don’t include violence. I grew up in a time where people felt they had to be tough, had something to prove. We have to learn how to come together. We have to learn how to talk through things. We have to learn that everything doesn’t have to come to violence,” Baker said. “There is a way we can come to an understanding. Sometimes these problems we have are just simple misunderstandings. We’ve got to teach young people to talk about it. You don’t have to resort to your fists, because you’re not always going to be the toughest one out there.”

State Rep. Kimberly Edwards, D-Eastpointe, also provided remarks and presented Lloyd with a state proclamation in support of his work.

“I’m really grateful for this opportunity to try to figure out how to resolve these issues,” Edwards said. “I appreciate everyone that showed up today in support of Bishop (Lloyd) and the vision that he has for our community. Once again, this is our community, and we are taking our community back.”

Lajoy Morgan, president of the LaSalle College Park Association in Detroit, was among a group whose members carried signs that read “Join us as we reclaim our streets, neighborhoods and community 4820live-4peace@gmail.com.”

“We’re coming together to try to make the streets safer and standing up for the things we believe in,” Morgan said. “It’s called accountability. We’ll let our children see it.”

Michelle White, of Moms Demand Action, felt the importance of the prayer walk.

“It raises visibility surrounding the scourge of gun violence,” said White, of Grosse Pointe Park. “It brings the community together so they can form bonds to end violence. It’s a very complex issue. It’s heartbreaking. It’s devastating.

“I think it’s very difficult for a family and community to come back from a death like that, from something so violent. You feel like they were robbed. Over what?” White said. “Why is this happening? Why are we failing our kids?”

Harper Woods Mayor Valerie Kindle and Harper Woods School District Superintendent Steven McGhee also spoke at the walk.