Pastors from Pike and Barbour counties will gather with residents at the Troy Recreation Center Tuesday for a night of worship and intercessory prayer in response to recent racial events across the country.

Anthony Askew, pastor of Christian Life Church in Troy, began reaching out to local pastors about hosting the community prayer vigil to pray for the healing of the nation and the community.

The vigil comes just over a week after five Dallas police officers were shot at a peaceful protest that was being held to bring attention to the police killings of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Philando Castile in Falcon Heights, Minnesota.

Pastors at the vigil will pray for the families of both the cops who were killed and the black men that died at the hands of police, as well as for the community, state and nation to heal.

“Pastors in this community needed to have a voice on this issue while the nation is being wounded and scarred by this racial divide,” Askew said. “We will have pastors of all faiths coming together, not only to pray for the families of the officers who were killed in Dallas and Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, but also for the people in our community that are hurting.”

Askew reached out early on to Dwayne Norman, pastor of Bush Memorial Baptist Church, and Louis Johnson, pastor of The Vine Church, who are both white.

“This event would not be successful if only churches of color came together,” Askew said. “We need to reach across the aisle and let healing come from the ministry. We don’t want just one segment of the population to be there.” Askew said the night would consist of singing, praying and sharing the word of God.

“”Our desire is to seek God’s face,” Askew said. “We need answers that are beyond us. Only God can provide the answers we need. He says that if his people, who are called by his name, humbly pray and seek his face, that he will heal their land.”

The prayer vigil will be held at the Troy Recreation Center at 6 p.m. and is scheduled to end at 7:15 p.m.