In the last several weeks, Mother Debra has been working with the NAACP, Freedom Bloc, the Akron Urban League, and a group of clergy and other community leaders to plan for a pastoral and compassionate response when the grand jury empaneled to hear evidence in the police shooting death of Jayland Walker last June finishes its work.
When the grand jury results are announced, which leaders expect to happen sometime next week, Church of Our Saviour will be one of seven sites participating in the Community Care Partnership, a city-wide effort to provide space for concerned people motivated by compassion and care to listen, talk and heal.
The church will be open for people to watch the announcement of the grand jury results together. After the announcement, the church and other Community Care Partnership sites will be open during the day to provide:
–a community of compassionate love and care
–a safe space to listen, talk and heal
–a safe space to celebrate or grieve or both
–a place in which community members can express their feelings
–a place to talk and ask questions with trained facilitators
–a place to talk with culturally competent trained mental health professionals and grief counselors
Snacks, sandwiches and refreshments will be provided. Stay tuned for emails with more information on the grand jury announcement and Church of Our Saviour’s response, including dates, times, and ways you can help.
You can find more information on the City of Akron’s official response on a new website, AkronUpdates.com.