Atlantic Beach community members pray for a safe Memorial Day weekend

Residents of Atlantic Beach asked God to keep those attending the Memorial Day motorcycle rally safe as well as guide all of those along the Grand Strand to make good decisions this weekend.

About 25 people gathered Sunday in Atlantic Beach for the prayer vigil, hosted by the Friends of the Pearl and First Missionary Baptist Church in Atlantic Beach, was the first of its kind. Atlantic Beach is nicknamed the Black Pearl.

“Things like this are always needed ... not only for Memorial Day weekend but throughout the year,” said The Rev. Jackie McCullough of First Missionary Baptist Church. “As a community we should have a quarterly prayer vigil.”

On Sunday, participants took turns praying for the government, police, children, business, soldiers, the Grand Strand community and rally attendees.

Three people died and seven were injured in eight shootings on Ocean Boulevard in Myrtle Beach during Memorial Day last year. Atlantic Beach had no violent issues reported last year, but attendees said praying for safety extends beyond the four-block town.

“A lot of people are having [prayer vigils],” said Friends of the Pearl Vice President Jannie Isom. “They were talking about us and to us, so since we’re in the middle of it we wanted to have one, too.”

Atlantic Beach Bikefest began as a rally for black motorcyclists and in 30 years has grown to an event that draws tens of thousands of people to the entire Grand Strand.

George Livingston, one of the people who founded Bikefest in 1980 with the Carolina Knight Riders Motorcycle Club, said if festival attendees and those in power stay focused on the word of God, everything will be all right.

“You need to take the bloodshed and the divisiveness out of it and put the Lord back into it,” he said.

Linda Cheatham, assistant city manager and chief financial officer for Atlantic Beach, said she prayed that God guides the government to make wise decisions.

“Let them not be so quick to raise firearms, but let them protects themselves,” she said of more than 1,000 police officers that will be along the Grand Strand this weekend. “We pray for peace, Lord. We pray for understanding, Lord. We pray for cohesiveness, Lord. We pray for community spirit.”

Several prayer events will be held this week as residents pray for safety during the Atlantic Beach Bikefest held this weekend.

A group of residents participate in 60 hours of prayer in tents along Ocean Boulevard from Thursday to Saturday.

Members of HOPE Church will hold a prayer service Thursday followed by a motorcycle unity ride. Another group of Grand Strand residents have signed up for 30 minute windows of time when they will pray for safety from Thursday to May 25.

Atlantic Beach Bikefest begins at 3 p.m. Friday with vendors set up along 30th and 31st Avenues South in Atlantic Beach.

This story was originally published May 17, 2015 at 8:40 PM with the headline "Atlantic Beach community members pray for a safe Memorial Day weekend."