IFN Staff

The sounds of “We Shall Overcome” and “Amazing Grace” lifted into the air on Friday morning in Downtown Statesville during Grace Baptist Church’s annual Walk for Peace.

Several dozen members of the community walked through downtown, stopping at landmarks to share words of hope and reflect on the ongoing journey to peace.

Standing in front of First Presbyterian Church, Anne Herschler encouraged participants to find hope in human resilience.

“We walk today and stand in this place to remind ourselves that peace is not a distant destination, but a choice we make at every destination,” she read.

At Pecan Park, Barbara Davidson noted that there is power in community and working together to face the world’s struggles.

“With the reality of wars, natural disasters, broken family systems, a global mental health epidemic and more, the world seems to be spinning out of control,” she read. “Hear the words of Coretta Scott King: ‘The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.’”

With the statue of a Confederate soldier looming behind him, Statesville Branch NAACP President Todd Scott stood in front of the Iredell County Courthouse and reminded the group that the greatest power lies in coming together to make a difference and improve the moral arc of history.

“This is a public building where the hopes and dreams of our country are discussed and decided,” he read. “But it is also a reminder of a dark time in our history. Let each step today be a promise to our future, a commitment to end hatred and bigotry.”

The walk also included stops at Statesville City Hall, the Statesville Historical Collection and the Iredell Arts Council, where Carrilea Hall offered words of prayer and hope, and Bob Barber and Gary Joe Wade led the crowd in song.

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