HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) 鈥 Grace United Methodist Church is located just steps from the Pennsylvania State Capitol. Between the two buildings, the church recently installed a pole. It reads: 鈥淢ay Peace Prevail on Earth.鈥
The timing and location of the 鈥淧eace Pole鈥 were both intentional and symbolic.
It was done to commemorate the International Day of Peace last month. But also, 鈥渋n recognition of the political climate that we鈥檙e in,鈥 said the Rev. Anna Layman Knox, the church鈥檚 pastor.
From her office window, she has a view of the Capitol鈥檚 majestic dome inspired by Michelangelo鈥檚 design for St. Peter鈥檚 Basilica at the Vatican. But on the Capitol steps she has also witnessed rallies across the political spectrum, and she knows that the current heated election rhetoric could escalate into violence.
She hopes her church鈥檚 stand for peace will inspire others to do the same as the voting results come in.
During a recent Sunday service, Layman Knox asked congregants to pray for Kamala Harris and Donald Trump and to be mindful of their words. Wearing a stole in the rainbow colors of the LGBTQ+ flag, she said, 鈥淲e pray for our nation in our division and our hope.鈥
Pennsylvania鈥檚 Capitol, in perhaps the most pivotal of swing states, could be a crucial venue if the upcoming election leads to worsening political divisions.
It鈥檚 where some of the first protests erupted in 2020 supporting Donald Trump鈥檚 lies of a stolen election. The string of demonstrations eventually exploded into the Jan. 6 insurrection, where Trump鈥檚 supporters stormed into the U.S. Capitol in a deadly riot.
In recent weeks, evangelical leader Sean Feucht, an outspoken Christian 好色tvist, led a pro-Trump demonstration outside the landmark building in the capital city of Pennsylvania, saying 鈥渢he enemy can鈥檛 have this state.鈥
At a nearby nondenominational church, billionaire reiterating his false claims about election fraud.
Fear of violence recently prompted Layman Knox to join , a coalition of faith leaders from across Pennsylvania who gathered at the state Capitol urging civility ahead of the election.
鈥淭ensions have been rising, and all of our religious traditions preach peace and love,鈥 said Rabbi Ariana Capptauber of Harrisburg鈥檚 Beth El Temple. 鈥淲e know that that鈥檚 the highest value in our country 鈥 and our highest value.鈥
After their demonstration at the Capitol rotunda, the interfaith group 鈥 including rabbis, priests and imams 鈥 walked across to Grace Church to share a meal and plan how to peacefully fight against the looming threats.
鈥淲e鈥檙e protecting our communities,鈥 said the Rev. Erin Jones, who works for a state advocacy arm of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, which organized the peace rally. It also led a petition asking Pennsylvanians to respect each other as they head to the polls.
鈥淭he choices we make there will be a statement about the way we want to live together here and now and the kind of tomorrow we want to leave for our children,鈥 read the petition signed by more than 300 faith leaders.
Americans fear another round of violent protests
American voters are deeply concerned about the and what could come next for the country, including the potential for political violence, according to .
The findings of the survey, conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, show that about 4 in 10 registered voters say they are 鈥渆xtremely鈥 or 鈥渧ery鈥 concerned about violent attempts to overturn the results after the November election. A similar share is worried about legal efforts to do so. And about 1 in 3 voters say they are 鈥渆xtremely鈥 or 鈥渧ery鈥 concerned about attempts by local or state election officials to stop the results from being finalized.
鈥淚 fear that there will be violence, and I hope that there can be unity,鈥 said Carly Wolf, 23, a Grace Church member and a college senior majoring in justice studies. She was outraged when she recently learned a group carrying swastika flags marched in front of her church on their way to the Pennsylvania Capitol.
鈥淩egardless of the election results, the protests at the capitol need to be peaceful,鈥 she said.
Although she prays that it won鈥檛 be necessary, she said she鈥檇 be ready to join counter peaceful protests to protect the Capitol and the Harrisburg community.
鈥淚鈥檇 be willing to put myself on the line,鈥 Wolf said. 鈥淲e shouldn鈥檛 allow that kind of hate speech to happen. We鈥檝e seen what happened on January 6, and it鈥檚 important to protect the sanctity of our capitol.鈥
Grace Church housed the state legislature after a devastating fire
Grace United Methodist Church is known as the church that saved Harrisburg from losing its status as the capital of Pennsylvania.
Since the early 19th century and throughout the Civil War, there were efforts to return the capital to Philadelphia. The pressure increased after a fire destroyed the Capitol building in 1897.
Since Harrisburg lacked a space large enough to accommodate the legislature, the church opened its doors to the Pennsylvania General Assembly. In just a few days, 鈥渁ll religious items and furnishings were removed,鈥 the church says on its site, 鈥渁nd desks, chairs and spittoons were installed.鈥
Lawmakers worked from the church鈥檚 sanctuary and the Sunday school rooms for two years until the Capitol was rebuilt.
鈥淭here has been historically this profound connection between what it means to be a church and what it means to be an advocate and to be engaged politically in the community,鈥 Layman Knox said.
Grace Church has taken that principle seriously, she said. 鈥淏eing political isn鈥檛 about being partisan. It鈥檚 about providing for and living into the greater good for all.鈥
鈥淓ven now, it acts as a sacred space for people across denominations and interfaith gatherings to gather, to pray and to organize for advocacy efforts that happen up at the Capitol,鈥 Layman Knox said.
After touring the Capitol building on a recent Sunday, Scott Bassett, a Pennsylvania-born retired teacher who lives in California, reflected on the work of faith leaders.
鈥淚鈥檓 hopeful that they get along so much that they can pass on that message to all citizens here,鈥 he said at the Capitol steps overlooking the soaring steeple of Grace and other churches that dot downtown Harrisburg.
鈥淚 can appreciate what they鈥檙e doing for this country and for the state of Pennsylvania.鈥
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Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP鈥檚 with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
