City leaders, community convene for prayer summit amid deadly weekend

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - After a deadly weekend in Memphis with at least six people killed and many others injured in different shootings across the city, local faith leaders held a massive prayer summit to help the community heal, giving Sunday church a whole new meaning in the Bluff City.

Church members from all around town lit up the Renasant Convention Center on Sunday at the One Memphis Prayer Summit with praise and songs of worship.

Even Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner attended the prayer summit.

Organized by faith leaders and Memphis Councilwoman Rhonda Logan, she says it’s critical to bring the city’s leadership, community, and believers together under God’s guidance to heal.

“This is a large situation that we are facing in our city,” Logan said. “Not one entity can handle it, but together, all of us together under God’s protection and hand, and under his direction and guidance, we can get it done.”

Community members paused to pray for peace, protection, and prosperity for the City of Memphis, and some say their list of prayer requests continues to grow.

“We’re gonna be praying about the crime rate in Memphis, the carjackings, the home invasions. The street drag racing,” said Pastor Henry Lavender with Living Life in Victory Church.

The Memphis Police Department has had a busy weekend, with at least six dead and eight injured, including two minors, after an explosion of shootings across the city:

• At 3:57 a.m. on Saturday, a man was found dead after a shooting on Chuck Avenue.
• Around 5 p.m. on Saturday, one man was found dead after a shooting on Cherry Road near Parkway Village.
• At 7:34 p.m. on Saturday, a woman was transported to ROH in critical condition following a shooting on Griggs Avenue.
• Four minutes later, a man was found dead following a shooting on Pendleton Street.
• At 10:21 p.m. on Saturday, a 13-year-old was transported to Le Bonheur in non-critical condition after a shooting on Perkins Road.
• At 2:13 a.m. on Sunday, one man was killed and three others critically injured following a shooting on Park Avenue.
• At 1:58 p.m. on Sunday, a man was transported to ROH in critical condition after a shooting on Barron Avenue near Getwell Road.
• At 2:13 p.m. Sunday, a woman was found dead following a shooting on Wooddale Avenue.
• At 6:53 p.m. on Sunday, one man was transported to ROH in critical condition following a shooting on Lamar Avenue.
• At 7:58 p.m. on Sunday, one victim was found dead and a minor was transported to Le Bonheur in critical condition following a shooting on Exchange Avenue.

“I’m praying that God gives the right people influence over our young people, just to pave the way for them and the next generation,” said community member Darius Jones.

Although it will take time to restore faith, church members who prayed at the One Memphis Prayer Summit say it will all be done through God’s resources.

“We want that cry to go up to God, saying we’re ready, we’re ready for our city to be changed, we’re ready for something to happen,” said Pastor Cedric Taylor with Koinonia Christian Center.

Faith leaders say they hope to hold another One Memphis Prayer Summit next year due to Sunday night’s success.

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