‘Steps Toward Peace: A Living Vigil’ set for Nov. 16

This message was sent by e-mail on behalf of the Office of the Chaplain to students, faculty and staff:

The horrific events in Paris and Beirut have awakened many to the pervasive acts of terror that have plagued communities around the world for months. In response to the widespread pain and violence, the Office of the Chaplain welcomes the Wake Forest community to “Steps Toward Peace: A Living Vigil.”

Vigils are periods of purposeful wakefulness maintained for the sake of others.  While there is great power in grieving together, our vigil cannot end there. Our work is to turn grief into growth. We must not sleep on our individual and collective tendencies toward self-centeredness and complicity.  We must stay awake to the role we each play in harming the vulnerable in our world. If we only grieve but do not grow, we have grieved in vain.

We invite Wake Forest to join in “Steps Toward Peace: A Living Vigil” on Monday, November 16th, on Hearn Plaza, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. We invite you to walk, to contemplate, to pray and to keep vigil both now and as we continue to live our lives.  We will not let the lives lost to terror be only a memory, but a catalyst towards individual and collective growth.

Periodically throughout the day Wait Chapel will be open for facilitated prayer gatherings. We welcome those who practice prayer to gather at scheduled times to pray for the victims, the families of the victims, the enactors of terror, and their families. We gather in Pro Humanitate.

Prayer Gatherings in Wait Chapel:

Let there be Peace on Earth and let it begin with me.

The Office of the Chaplain