On Aug. 15, from 9am-1pm, the GNJ Board of Church & Society invites you to join with cabinet members and others from around Greater New Jersey for a time of Prayerful Witness at Delaney Hall to demonstrate our support for detained immigrant siblings and opposition to for-profit detention centers (UMC Social Principles). At 9am, we will gather for a short orientation, provide hospitality to those visiting detainees, and write messages of support. A time of prayer, song, and spoken witness will begin at 10am.
You are invited to bring gift cards to support detainees’ families with groceries (ShopRite, Stop n’ Shop, Walmart) and transportation (Uber). You may also bring signs with bible verses or words of hope and encouragement if you choose.
Those attending are encouraged to bring gift cards and greeting cards with messages of support from church or community members who are unable to attend in person. See sample messages below.
Details & Safety
Delaney Hall is located at 451 Doremus Avenue, Newark. You may park on the street where permitted or in the parking lot at the Essex County Correctional Facility next to Delaney Hall. Our gathering will be close to the big white Radical Hospitality tent or in the grassy areas between the street and the detention center.
Our prayer vigil at Delaney Hall is a peaceful, prayerful public witness. Because conditions at the facility can change quickly, everyone participating is asked to come prepared to remain calm, flexible, and attentive to the directions of vigil leaders.
Participants must remain on the public sidewalk and must not block driveways or interfere in any way with vehicles entering or leaving the facility. Please remain especially mindful of traffic and your surroundings at all times.
Interactions with security personnel can sometimes be tense or disrespectful. Please do not engage, argue, or respond in kind. Our commitment is to de-escalation at all times. Whatever we encounter, we will respond peacefully and respectfully and remain focused on the purpose of our gathering: prayer, presence, and faithful witness.
Conditions around Delaney Hall can change with little notice, and we may need to relocate or walk some distance in order to gather appropriately. Participants should therefore be prepared to walk up to approximately one-half mile and are encouraged to wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather.
Thank you for helping us maintain a peaceful, respectful, and prayerful presence. Our conduct is part of our witness.
Questions may be directed to the Rev. Janice McCrostie at janice.pastor83@gmail.com or Judy Graves at jkgraves55@gmail.com.
Sample message for greeting cards:
- No me conoces, pero quiero que sepas que me importa lo que está pasando. (You don’t know me, but I want you to know that I care about what’s going on.)
- ¡Estamos aqui para alzar la voz por ti! (We are here to raise our voices for you!)
- Tu presencia importa. (Your presence matters.)
- A veces puede parecer muy oscuro pero creemos en el cambio y estamos trabajando para logrario. (Sometimes it may seem very dark, but we believe in change and we are working to achieve it.)
- No hay amanecer ni atardecer sin que intentemos marcar la diferencia. (There is no sunrise or sunset without trying to make a difference.)
- Te estamos pensando. (We are thinking of you.)