Church groups rally against racism.Lewiston, Me. (ENS)--Members of church groups in several Maine Maine, ship Maine, U.S. battleship destroyed (Feb. 15, 1898) in Havana harbor by an explosion that killed 260 men. The incident helped precipitate the Spanish-American War (Apr., 1898). Commanded by Capt. Charles Sigsbee, the ship had been sent (Jan. towns staged rallies recently to celebrate religious and ethnic diversity in opposition to a white-supremacist rally. The white group, World Church of the Creator The Church of the Creator is an Oregon-based church founded by Rev. Dr. Grace Marama in 1969. It was originally established as Grace House Prayer Ministry and first used its present name in 1974. based in Peoria, Ill., planned its gathering after Lewiston mayor Laurier Raymond last October wrote a letter urging the town's growing Somali Somali Any member of a large group of people occupying all of Somalia and parts of Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Kenya. Their language is of the Cushitic branch of the Afroasiatic family. community to discourage other Somalis from moving there. The town "is maxed-out financially, physically and emotionally," he wrote, and called on the Somalis to "exercise discipline." A coalition of churches, including Trinity Episcopal e·pis·co·pal adj. 1. Of or relating to a bishop. 2. Of, relating to, or involving church government by bishops. 3. Episcopal Of or relating to the Episcopal Church. in the heart of Lewiston, planned a counter-rally across town to support diversity. Rev. Nancy Moore said she took issue with the name of the white supremacist white supremacist n. One who believes that white people are racially superior to others and should therefore dominate society. white supremacy n. Noun 1. group. "I want to reclaim the word creator," she said. "The Creator didn't create just one colour, just one kind or just one view of the world." More than 4,200 people gathered at the rally, reciting prayers from various faith traditions and singing civil rights songs. Across town in Lewiston, the World Church of the Creator rally, attended by 36 people, was held at the local armoury. |
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