LGBTQ+ Youth Prayer Vigil Planned For Red Bank Methodist Church

RED BANK, NJ — Prayers of support for LGBTQ+ youth will be heard this Friday at United Methodist Church of Red Bank, 247 Broad St.

The church and other area clergy are "answering the call of Beloved Arise" to unite and pray for LGBTQ+ youth on Queer Youth of Faith Day, the church says.

Beloved Arise is the leading national organization dedicated to celebrating and empowering LGBTQIA+ youth of faith, the organization says.

It hopes to bring 1.8 million people together from across faith traditions to pray for queer youth on Friday, according to the organization, the church says.

The vigil will take place in front of the church on June 30 at 7:30 p.m. on the Broad Street side.

Pastor Cameron Overbey will preside over the event and will be joined by other ministers and youth. Bonnie Deroski, the director of children and youth ministries, organized the vigil, the church said.

The event will be a candlelight vigil, with candle devices being lit as each person reads part of the prayers. There will be hymns and Scripture readings also.

The evening will begin with chalk-written messages of hope and encouragement drawn on the sidewalk.

The event will move inside if there is rain or poor air quality, organizers say.

The prayer will focus on support for LGBTQ+ youth. The Trevor Project estimates that 1.8 million LGBTQ youth ages 13 to 24 seriously consider suicide each year in the U.S. At least one young person attempts suicide every 45 seconds.

Donations will be taken at the vigil for the Trevor Project, which offers advocacy and crisis support for LGBTQ young people.

In a related event for youth, young people from the church attended the NASDAQ stock exchange opening Thursday, as guests of the Beloved Arise organization, the church said.

UMC Red Bank, God Squad and Red Bank Theater for Young Audiences rang the bell for the NASDAQ.

"What an exciting experience for our own Pastor Cam Overbey, Bonnie Deroski and the youth here at church!" the church said on its Facebook site. You can see pictures of the event there, too.