Post-election service of prayer and remembrance (Nov. 9, 5;30 P.M.) Springfield, IL Laurel UMC

Hoping to quell the harsh words and hot heads that led up to Tuesday’s nationwide vote for president, local peace activists and religious leaders have scheduled a nonpartisan, post-election prayer service Wednesday night.
“It should be very meaningful,” Joyce Downey said of the 30-minute service scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. in the sanctuary of Laurel United Methodist Church, 631 South Grand Ave. West, Springfield, IL.  The time for meditation, prayer, and readings is designed to help people put aside the “animosity, bullying and screaming at each other” that characterized a “very different” presidential campaign between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump, said Downey, 66, a retired teacher who helps lead the Laurel Peacemakers group.
The Peacemakers came up with the idea for the unusual service and is hosting the event in cooperation with the Springfield chapter of the ecumenical group Church Women United, the Springfield Grassroots InterFaith Team and the Faith Coalition for the Common Good.
Everyone is invited, and organizers hope to refocus people’s attention on “words that are inclusive, that respect differences among people,” said Sister Marcelline Koch, director of the Office of Justice for the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, IL.

http://www.sj-r.com/news/20161108/post-election-prayer-service-scheduled-to-calm-emotions