Prayers for healing, unity mark peaceful George Floyd demonstration in Warner Robins

Some held up signs that read, “Love God. Love People,” “God created one race ... the human race” and “Pray until something happens.” Other participants in a sidewalk prayer event Saturday raised their hands in praise, or bowed in prayer or waved at passing motorists.

The church-organized event was meant to foster unity in the wake of the Minnesota police killing of George Floyd.

Drivers often honked back at the participants who lined both sides of a city block along North Houston Road between Elberta Road and Green Street. Some participants snapped photos and shot videos from their cellphones.

All the while, prayers of pastors and others were broadcast over an outside speaker system for all to hear.

Calls for shouts of praise were often intermixed among the prayers and met with enthusiasm. Some of the prayers and praises were in Spanish.

“We’ve got different pastors, blacks, white, Hispanics, out here praying together unifying our effort to show that we can come together and help heal our nation together,” said Levi Rozier, senior pastor for Harvest Builders Worship Center on Elberta Road. His church hosted the event.

“We’re praying for healing. We’re praying for unity. We’re praying for strength. We’re praying for wisdom for our leaders. We praying that God will pull down any racism, division that keep us from talking and unifying our hearts together,” Rozier said. “That’s our cry today — not just talk about it but be about it by coming together ourselves and I believe God is going to do it for us.”

His church joins together on Saturdays twice a month to pray, but wanted to move the event outside and galvanize other pastors and congregations to a call for healing, unity and peace after Floyd’s May 25 death.

Church member Cynthia Wellborn was holding up a sign that read, “Prayer is my weapon.”

“It doesn’t have to be violent,” Wellborn said. “We can get our point across and ask God to come into our lives and do what He needs to do.”

Some participants joined in prayer and worship from their cars parked nearby. Some participants work masks due to the coronavirus pandemic, while others did not.