A group of pastors and ministers of Greenville and Washington County have joined together to help the community tackle the city’s high homicide rate and according to the Greenville Police Deparment, there have been 11 so far this year.
There will be a crime meeting starting at 6 p.m. Monday at Buster Brown Community Center, 400 E. Robertshaw St.
The theme for this meeting is Come Out and Pray With Us.
Pastor Frank Hall, organizer of this meeting and pastor of Friendship MB Church, said he wants the community to come together to not only pray, but discuss ways to stop the violence in the city.
“We want to find out what we can do to slow down the homicides that are happening in the city. We are asking questions, praying together and hoping this meeting will bring about the change we need. We don’t expect it to change over night, but we have to start somewhere,” Hall said.
Hall said he has reached out to Mayor Errick Simmon’s office, vice mayor Lurann Thomas, the Greenville Police Department, Washington County Sheriff’s Department, Indianola Police Department and other city-elected officials to attend.
“Although I haven’t heard back from everyone, I know that the word is out and I expect to see everyone there,” Hall said.
Pastor Jackie Davis, of Unity Faith MB Church, said he believes the young men in the Delta communities need mentors.
“We need some mentors, we need some people that don’t mind sacrificing some of their time to help assist these young men and we believe that if we can come together and pray and let it be known that this is our problem we’ll be a part of the first step in the right direction,” Davis said.
