Vigils for Healing

About Vigils for Healing

Vigils for Healing is an interfaith community ministry for loved ones of homicide victims. Our original mission was simply to hold public interfaith spiritual observances at every murder site in Forsyth County, North Carolina, USA. Since that time our outreach and services have broadened, spurred in many instances by the ideas and energy of people in the community who believe in our mission.

We have been holding vigils since January, 2006. At our core, Vigils for Healing is an advocacy and educational organization whose two-fold mission is to promote healing for people affected by violent death, and to change community reaction from passive acceptance to active rejection of violence on moral, ethical, and spiritual grounds. We call on the power of God and a caring community to promote healing for everyone affected by violence, including those arrested for the murder and their loved ones who also suffer. We reclaim the sites of violent death and the surrounding neighborhood as life-affirming space. The vigils provide a forum for people to publicly express their feelings about violence and their empathy for the suffering of neighbors.

About the Ceremony

The vigils are public interfaith spiritual observances. They are held year round at or near the murder site. We tap into the diverse spiritual life of our community to promote peace and encourage the process of healing. Clergy of all faiths participate. They last about 30 minutes. Loved ones of the victim(s), citizens living near the murder site, area congregations, and the general public are all invited to attend. Anyone who wishes to speak may do so.

To receive email invitations to upcoming Vigils for Healing, Contact Us.

We are open to all, and we welcome your suggestions and involvement.

To Achieve Our
Mission, We:

Hold public interfaith Vigils for Healing observances to mark violent loss of life in Forsyth County, North Carolina.

Mail a packet of support information to the family of every murder victim in Forsyth County.

Organize Broken Hearts, Better Days, a support group for people who grieve the violent death of a loved one.

Organize a Prayer Shawl Ministry who's members create hand-made shawls and throws for victims' families.

Organize Hands Without Guns , a gun safety/awareness activity for children.

Provide financial support (via The Winston-Salem Foundation's Chrissy Gallaher Victim Assistance Fund) to families who are struggling with the costs related to the violent death of their loved one.

Hold a free annual Sheild of Hope Picnic for families and loved ones of people who have been murdered.

Collaborate with any person or group who would like to organize an observance of violent death.