Lebanon prayer vigil for conservative activist Charlie Kirk avoids politics

About 40 people attended a Thursday evening, Sept. 25, prayer vigil in memory of slain conservative political activist and media personality Charlie Kirk.

The event, held at Lebanon’s Hilltop Playground, was organized by ELCO school board member Rachel Moyer and her organization, Pennsylvanians for Freedom.

Kirk, 31, was fatally shot by a sniper on Sept. 10 while speaking at a college rally in Orem, Utah. Authorities there have charged 22-year-old Tyler Robinson with aggravated murder and related offenses. Prosecutors say they will seek the death penalty.

In contrast to other Kirk remembrances throughout the country that have taken on decidedly political tones, with speakers bent on assigning blame for Kirk’s death and praising or criticizing his public life, the Hilltop event featured local pastors whose remarks carried a consistent theme of prayer for the nation and its leaders.

Pastor Tim Sheaffer of the South Lebanon Community Church was the first to offer prayers, saying “Lord, guide and direct us, because we know that government has been put in place for the good of the people and we pray that our elected officials would lean upon you in seeking wisdom and direction from you in order that they might do what is good and right for the people of the United States.”

Pastor Jeff Bateman of the Lebanon’s Open Door Baptist Church said, “I pray for the families of this nation. I pray specifically tonight for the Kirk family, as they are the ones who have entered into this very difficult tragedy.”

J.P. Santos, student adviser for Myerstown’s On Fire Ministries and an ELCO school board member, told the crowd, “Mr. Kirk was one of the first people who really had an impact on me, just being curious about the nation’s politics and I remember him saying if you’re going to start anywhere, start in your local area, and that just really motivated me to run for school board.”

Pastor Marty Moyer of South Lebanon Community Church offered prayers for first responders, members of the military, and the three York County police officers who were ambushed and killed in the line of duty last week. “I pray for our local first responders … and we pray for the families of the police who were killed and injured in York County. We lift them to you right now.”