'Claim our neighborhood': Candlelight vigil set for Friday near site of Moxham homicide

Dave Sutor, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
·1 min read

Jan. 25—A prayer service is scheduled for Friday, outside of St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Johnstown's Moxham neighborhood, near the spot where a homicide took place earlier this week.

The outdoor candlelight vigil, called "Neighbors Praying for an End to Violence in Our City," is set to begin at 7 p.m.

"In light of the shooting (on Monday) that basically happened on our front porch, we felt we need to gather together as a community of churches, make real prayers for the end to violence," Rev. Matthew Baum, pastor at St. Patrick's, said, "and kind of stand together as a community so that we can claim our community and let people know that we're also here, as we pray for all the stuff that's been going on with the victims, and their families, as well as the community, as well as whatever may be going on in the lives of the perpetrators that out them in those situations."

New Hope Community Church, Moxham Church of the Brethren and Moxham Lutheran Church are participating.

Baum said other local churches have also been contacted.

"I've had a lot of people say we need to do something, we need to do something in our neighborhood," Baum said. "We need to get together in our neighborhood. We need to do things that help claim our neighborhood."

St. Patrick's is located at 609 Park Ave.