APPLETON, Wis. (NBC 26) -- Pastors Charles Butler and Ryan Roth organized a prayer event for 15 area churches to gather in Pierce Park Friday evening, as civil unrest continues around the country in the wake of Kenosha police officers shooting Jacob Blake last weekend.
"We've had protests here in the Fox Valley community, but we haven't had riots or anything along those lines," Pastor Butler said, referencing nights of violence in his hometown of Kenosha, Wisconsin. "So what we're trying to do is get out in front of that."
While preaching inclusivity and unity, Pastor Butler confirmed that this event was limited to Christians. Fifteen churches across the Fox Valley were invited, and Pastor Butler said other houses of worship were intentionally not included.
"We did not reach out to other religions or other faiths because this is a prayer or worship event, and it's important that everyone here is praying to the same God and worshiping the same God," Pastor Butler of Breakthrough Covenant Church in Appleton said. "But we also welcome and encourage other faiths to have similar type of events."
Pastor Butler says he and Pastor Roth were previously unknown to each other, but were experiencing the same "calling" and a mutual friend connected the two to organize this event.
Many worshippers were grateful for the opportunity to socialize with others as the pandemic continues.
"To be able to get out, be able to socialize in a safe way, to be able to worship god together in a safe way," Ben Peterson said. "And be out here doing something positive and all the more in the midst of all the craziness in COVID and everything else we're seeing on the news."
Others valued the idea of peaceful demonstration with faith at the forefront.
"Just very excited to have this opportunity to demonstrate a different way of getting your message out," Kevin Muire said.
