SAN DIEGO — Asking for help, with heads bowed and eyes closed, San Diegans called out to God.
"People are down with so much anxiety and depression, but this is all about hope and unity, coming together knowing that there is hope,” said Brandon Harrison, Rock Church associate campus pastor in Pt. Loma.
People were scattered on yoga mats and beach towels at Waterfront Park downtown for the first "We Pray San Diego," an event which brought over 100 local churches and many more of their church members together in prayer for all things COVID-19 and for racial injustices.
"It’s the only answer to this problem, it’s the only answer to any of our problems,” said Julie and Tom Gadzala, members of Shadow Mountain Community Church.
Some sang "Amazing Grace,” as many prayed quietly while listening to a pre-recorded prayer message on from the event website taped by Rock Church senior pastor Miles McPherson.
"We are praying that God will do what we can't do, to bring us together,” said McPherson.
Terrell Fletcher, Pastor of City of Hope International Church said his prayer is for peace and restoration.
“May the holy spirit be the bridge that leads us back to him and begin to pray now that God would repair and restore,” Fletcher said by megaphone at the event.
From the Southeast at Euclid and Imperial Avenues to the East County at Mast and Carlton Hills Boulevards, many sprawled along the sidewalk. In Santee, in front of Pathways Community church, groups prayed in front of businesses with some in sitting in chairs socially distanced.
San Diego City Councilmember Monica Montgomery was there and said “this is my community, and especially in times like this, I just want to come by and pray with you all.”
There were different denominations and people of all backgrounds joined together as the community stretched out on the street and got down on their knees with their hands raised high. Some prayed out loud and others read from the Bible.
The prayer request lists were long.
"We need healing we need unity, we need peace, the restoration of businesses people's finances, so we’re crying out to God for that,” McPherson said.
Crowds came as churches are still closed. Bianca Cotero of the Rock Church said it was the first time she and her family have gone anywhere that was church-related.
“We’re used to church online right now, so it did feel good to come out whether you believe in God or not, I hope that it reaches people in some way, shape or another,” Cotero said.
The prayer event lasted one hour from 9 a.m. until 10 a.m. where those in attendance at Waterfront Park clapped and cheered as Pastor Travis Gibson shouted to the crowd:
“We believe that through prayer today God is dispatching Heaven, dispatching angels bringing unity to a city that feels divided, we believe that this will be a catalyst for the rest of the country, hopefully, the world, that there is unity in Jesus name Amen.”
Harrison says Rock Church pastors will meet on Thursday to discuss the future of having similar countywide prayer events.