Eight things overheard at Cedar Rapids vigil for Orlando victims

CEDAR RAPIDS — More than 150 people, including many members of the local clergy, joined together Sunday evening to remember the victims of a mass shooting in Orlando and reflect on what they believe is needed for a more peaceful world.

The candlelight vigil, held at Belle's Basix, a gay bar located at 3916 First Ave. NE in Cedar Rapids, included several speeches, prayers and singing.

Andrew Harrison, owner of Belle's Basix, organized the event.

Here is what some of those in attendance had to say.

Raven Rowe, a member in discernment in the United Church of Christ: 'We gather here conscious of all those who have died in the recent tragedy. And we are conscious of our own frailty of our existence on this planet. We come to comfort and support one another in our common loss.'

Imam Hassan Selim of the Islamic Center of Cedar Rapids: 'Whoever kills a soul, it is if they have slain mankind entirely. We send our condolences and prayers to the families of the victims. There can never be any justification, religious or otherwise. Words cannot express our sadness.'

Rev. Mike Heath of Walking with Jesus Fellowship: 'Jesus said there is no gender in heaven. Why are we wasting all this time here fighting about gender? I'm kind of sick of it — I suppose you all are, too. But we have to go on.'

Rev. Mike Slagenweit-Coffman of Unity Point Hospice: 'My heart continues to break. We pray for those who have been lost to senseless violence. We pray for those whose lives have been cut short by tragic events. We pray for those who have given selflessly to help those who have been killed or injured. We pray for those who are dwelling in anger and hate rather than walking in joy and peace.'

Iowa Rep. Liz Bennett: 'I just got back from Des Moines Pride. I heard the news as I was driving there and you can imagine the shock, the grief that washed over me this morning as I was going to celebrate members of our community. As we have always done as a community, I encourage all of us to reach out to one another for support and to model reaching out to love ... because that is how we will overcome the spirit of hatred that lives in our culture.'

Courtney Rowe, wife of Raven Rowe: 'We lost 50 members of our LGBT community. I say our community because you all know when you visit different cities, your LGBT community welcomes you. Sadly, this morning is not the sum of violence against the LGBT community. While we've come a long way, we're still facing violence every day.'

Rev. Nathan Williams of Echo Hill Presbyterian Church: 'We pray that homophobia and racism and sexism and conflict between religions and all of the clauses that we find to hate and condemn one another would be rolled up and put away — not just on the shelf, but rolled up and put away forever.'

Alan Diehl of Humanists of Linn County: 'One of the moral tenants of the secular humanists, atheist, agnostic community is that of decreasing human suffering, increasing human flourishing and fighting the ideologies that dehumanize those around us, whether it be because they are gay or lesbian, or Christian or Muslim, or different than us. It's up to us as humans to come together and solve these problems.'

Those in attendance sang 'This Little Light of Mine' and Dylan Worcel ended the ceremony singing John Lennon's 'Imagine.'