Preach-A-Thon with a message
Members from the City of Chattanooga and the Chattanooga Police Department joined the service at Friendship Central Community Church to remember the 24 victims of 2014.
Pastor Maize said he is trying to set a tone about violence in Chattanooga.
"Church is not inside these four walls. Real church is when you leave outside of here, and you begin to do work in this community."
Maize of Friendship Central Community Church is practiced what he preached. He wants to send a personal message to help heal the city his loves.
"So we wanted to honor those young men and women, and we wanted to make sure that the lives of those young men and women are never forgotten,” said Pastor Maize.
Family members of some of the murdered victims came to join the service, and they were told they are not alone.
“We’re going to wrap out arms around you and let you know that you’re not going through this alone,” said Maize.
The City of Chattanooga and the Chattanooga Police Department came to show the community they are behind them.
Paul Smith said, "That’s why we are in the position that we are in now, so that we can help make a difference in this city."
Assistant Police Chief Tracy Arnold said the city needs to be unified in its message against crime.
Tracy Arnold: "Not only are we behind his message, but we are a part of his message, because we are a part of the community. Police officers aren’t just on one side and the community is on the other side. We are all intermingled together."
He added the community can help more than the police can, because they have the power to break the unspoken no snitch policy.
"What we’re trying to do is change that code in to a community code, telling them, no we will not accept the code of silence."
Taking back each Chattanooga community one step at a time and Pastor Maize said it won’t stop here.
"I’m hoping what we did this weekend is just the beginning," said Maize
Pastor Ezra Maize says he plans to invite city officials the a roller skating event with high school students the first Sunday of November to continue his work with the community.
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