Roswell church leaders invite city police to prayer service after Dallas shooting

Roswell Police Department's Chief Rusty Grant and leaders from Eagles Nest Church and Zion Missionary Baptist join for prayer following recent events, including the Dallas shooting that left five of 12 injured officers dead after a sniper opened fire during a peaceful protest against police violence on Thursday, July 7.

Credit: Credit: Facebook

Credit: Credit: Facebook

Roswell Police Department's Chief Rusty Grant and leaders from Eagles Nest Church and Zion Missionary Baptist join for prayer following recent events, including the Dallas shooting that left five of 12 injured officers dead after a sniper opened fire during a peaceful protest against police violence on Thursday, July 7.

When a sniper opened fire on police officers during a peaceful protest in Dallas against police violence Thursday night, five of the 12 injured officers died.

Since then, metro Atlanta law enforcement agencies expressed their condolences on social media.

In Roswell, church leaders from Eagles Nest Church and Zion Missionary Baptist invited Roswell Police Department's Chief Rusty Grant for their Sunday congregation to show their support.

The department posted a photo on their Facebook page of Reverend Lee Jenkins and other church leaders praying for Roswell's officers, including Grant, who was "overwhelmed by the love and support he felt from the friends in attendance."

Chief Rusty Grant was invited to Eagles Nest Church and Zion Missionary Baptist yesterday for their congregation to show...

Posted by Roswell Police Department on Monday, July 11, 2016

In response, Eagles Nest Church reposted the photo on their Facebook page and wrote: "We, too, are overwhelmed by your clear investment in making things better for us all."

Thank you Roswell Police Department and Chief Rusty Grant for sharing this image and for your service to our community....

Posted by Eagles Nest Church on Monday, July 11, 2016

Zion Missionary Baptist Church also posted a powerful photo of the congregation on their Facebook page Sunday. "The power of prayer is real," the post read.

Today at ZMBC, Dr. Caldwell invited the Roswell Police Department and their families to worship with us during morning...

Posted by Zion Missionary Baptist Church on Sunday, July 10, 2016

After the fatal shooting of two black men by police last week and then of the five officers by a black man in Dallas Thursday, Atlanta protesters called for a change and end to police brutality when they marched through downtown Atlanta Friday evening.

Atlanta's demonstrations, unlike the protest in Dallas, were mostly peaceful.

One protester told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in a previous report that " ... more than anything, we are trying to build a positive relationship between us and police."