In honor of MLK Day and King’s vision of the Beloved Community, the Morris Area Interfaith Clergy Council and the African American Clergy Council of Morris County planned a vigil to stand in solidarity with those affected by recent ICE activity. Masked enforcement officials poured out of unmarked vehicles and took several individuals from a local laundromat in a predominantly Hispanic/Latino neighborhood.
The vigil was scheduled to begin at The Green, a public square in the center of Morristown, but frigid weather forced a change of plans. Demonstrators first gathered in the sanctuary of the Presbyterian Church of Morristown until it was time to begin the march. Timothy Dougherty, mayor of Morristown, greeted demonstrators as they exited the church.
As social justice seekers gathered outside and prepared to march, Rev. Luana Cook Scott welcomed them and encouraged participants to scan QR codes, conveniently posted on signs outside the church and on the back of her clergy robe, for the order of service.
Rev. Luana Cook Scott, pastor of Morristown United Methodist Church, welcomed those gathered outside the church, saying, “This vigil is especially for those who cannot be here safely today—for neighbors watching from their homes, for families waiting for answers, and for all who need to know that they are not alone.”
Pastor David Silva of the nearby church Casa de Alfarero (The Potter’s House) was unable to attend but sent David Marrero as a representative to read a statement on his behalf:
“As we gather to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we remember his commitment to justice, nonviolence, and human dignity. Dr. King reminded us that ‘injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.’ His message calls us today to stand against policies that dehumanize people and to affirm the sacred worth of every human being, regardless of status or origin.”
Pastor Lisa Clayton then offered a litany for the Beloved Community:
“God of mercy and justice, we gather as people of faith and conscience, grateful for the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and mindful of the pain carried by our neighbors. For the prayers we now carry—not only in our voices, but in our bodies and our steps—as we move together through our streets, offering our presence as prayer and our walking as witness.”
And the people responded, “We pray for our Beloved Community.”
Having prayed with their tongues, demonstrators prepared to pray with their feet—lighting candles, cell phone flashlights, and headlamps, and singing in one voice, “We Shall Overcome.”
Clergy led the way down Speedwell Avenue, with hundreds of people peaceably following. As the demonstrators moved through the streets of Morristown, neighbors looked on, some offering smiles, while supporters in cars honked their horns and raised fists in salute.
The march paused for prayer outside St. Margaret Catholic Church, a faith community that welcomes more than 500 vulnerable people into worship each Sunday.
Rev. Jeff Markay of Chatham United Methodist Church led the prayers outside the church building, saying, “We are here in gratitude and reverence. We give thanks for this church and its open doors… Bless this congregation and its leaders as they bear witness in times of uncertainty and fear. Strengthen them as they offer sanctuary of spirit, hope in the midst of anxiety, and love made visible through daily faithfulness.”
From there, the march continued to the intersection of Speedwell and Henry, where Morristown residents had been taken as they went about their ordinary routines.
Faith leaders gathered on the steps as the assembly came together, and Rev. Luana Cook Scott read a statement of solidarity and support penned and signed by interfaith clergy from across Morris County:
“Across our varied faiths, we share a fundamental conviction: every human being is created in the image of God and possesses inherent dignity that cannot be diminished by legal status, country of origin, or any other circumstance. Our faith traditions call us to welcome the stranger, defend the vulnerable, speak truth to power, and stand with those who are marginalized. When masked agents in unmarked vehicles detain people from laundromats, businesses, and public spaces without transparency or accountability; when families are left in anguish, not knowing where their loved ones have been taken; when entire communities live in fear—this violates the dignity we are called to uphold.”
Those assembled proclaimed with one voice, “Amen,” decrying the grief and fear created by recent enforcement activities both in their community and across the country. They lifted their candles in one final act of witness, and then the assembly departed.
They departed with Rev. Clayton’s prayer echoing in their hearts as a benediction: “As we walk from this place to another, may each step be an offering, each pause a listening, and each arrival a commitment to love made public.”
To learn more about how you and your congregation can support immigrants, see our resource page: Immigration Support Resources