By Marnita Coleman,
Special to the AFRO,
mcoleman@afro.com
The Bless Baltimore Prayer Motorcade resumed in-person activity on July 30. The annual event came after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While many were sleeping-in, prayer warriors from around the area gathered at War Memorial Plaza to launch a spiritual attack against the lawlessness that has plagued Charm City for years. “People are saying enough is enough,” declares Bishop Angel Nunez of ACT Now Baltimore (Accountability, Credibility, Transparency), an organizer of the motorcade.
On the sunniest of days, the motorcade strategically crisscrossed the city in a procession of intercessors, church leaders, chaplains, and community organizers led by the Baltimore City Police Motorcycle Unit, and Baltimore Police Department (BPD) Commissioner Michael Harrison.
“We got more participation from top-tier police leadership this year,” said Bishop Nunez. “It’s the urgency of the moment— it’s been so tense since the Freddie Gray murder.”
The 30-vehicle caravan rallied in various districts from the north, west, south, central, northeast, and southeast. Prophet Peter Mugweh of Life Source International Church in Rosedale, Md. explained how the motorcade came about. He said it was an outgrowth of prayer walks that began in 2013. The purpose was to cry out to the Lord in repentance for the crimes and other immoral practices that had been happening in Baltimore.
At the time, Nick Mosby, councilman of District 7, announced four weeks of prayer walks to help eradicate crime. Retired Police Chief Melvin Russell, the Office of the Mayor, and the churches were involved.
The Life Source group kick-started the prayer walks in the Western District, and the prayer walks were birthed.
After hearing about it, Bishop Nunez and organizer, Bishop Marcus A. Johnson, Sr., teamed up with them to pray for the city, thereby creating a multicultural prayer movement that continues to this day.
“That’s why we love it because it doesn’t have to be me, myself, and I,” laughed Bishop Nunez.
“The importance of this motorcade is to make people aware of God’s love, give them hope in their individual communities, and lead them back to the local church. Programs cannot substitute the commandment our Lord gave us to love people unconditionally.”
“You can’t love people unconditionally behind closed doors,” Nunez continued. “You have to get out there and touch the people– the addict, deal with the squeegee boys, and love on that broken mother that has lost her child.”
The motorcade did just that. It rallied in a community on North Avenue; stood with a squeegee boy on Conway and Light streets, and showed its commitment to diversity at Beth AM Synagogue where well-known, Rabbi Daniel Burg read from the holy scroll before pronouncing a blessing over the city and motorcade. Bishop Nunez stated, “We respect traditions and differences. We want to show the city and the nation that there can be unity in the midst of diversity.”
At his side, Bishop Johnson declared, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!” The enthusiastic crowd immediately echoed it.
The final stop of the day was clearly a victory dance at New Harvest Ministries on Fayette Street, where Bishop Johnson presides. It was the perfect ending to a day of the outpouring of God’s Spirit. A wayfaring stranger came into the celebration and was ministered to by the leaders there.
Organizers are already preparing for the 2023 Bless Baltimore Prayer Motorcade which is scheduled to take place in June.
Help us Continue to tell OUR Story and join the AFRO family as a member – subscribers are now members! Join here!