DECATUR -T 'ajanie Brown, 8, took the microphone and was the first to lead everyone in prayer.

Friday evening, T 'ajanie was among a small crowd of youths and a few adults inside the sanctuary at Main Street Church of the Living God for a peace vigil in response to the recent violence in Decatur this month.

Vinson Banks, 45, died after being shot May 6, and Robert Wesley Johnson, 23, was shot to death Monday.

Community activist Brandi Brown organized the event in hopes of continuing weekly prayer vigils that would stop the violence.

"We want to try to help our youths and to stop all this violence against one another," Brown told those in the audience Friday. "Pray for everyone around you, pray for our city - violence is everywhere."

Margaret Walker, executive director of Decatur's Safety Net Works project and Youth With a Positive Direction, along with the after-school programs at Main Street Church, said summer is coming, and "the enemy (meaning the devil) should have no authority ¦"

She also asked individuals whose families were affected by violence to stand.

Jamario O'Grady, 12, stood because his family lost a family member and a close friend to violence.

"They are in a better place looking down on us," he said of his cousin, who was shot a year ago, and family friend Brandon Read.

Read, 19, was standing outside in the 400 block of West Center Street when he was shot in the head March 29, 2007. He died April 1, 2007.

Jamario said he appreciated having the prayer vigil. "Everyone needs to take a step and leave this gang stuff alone and come together," he said.

Amaris Joyner, 13, also stood because she lost her cousin, Shalin Bond.

Both only 20 years old, Bond and his girlfriend, Courtnee Ann Brown, were found shot to death in the 500 block of South 20th Street in March 2003.

Reflecting on what her family has gone through, Amaris said, "There is a lot of violence going around that is affecting our city," and how she liked being able to pray about it.

The Rev. Thomas Walker, pastor of Main Street Church of the Living God, said this is a time where prayer is needed, and God can make change.

"Sometimes, you need someone to talk to and need God to interfere," he said. "There is a purpose for prayer.

"Too many of our young people are facing death and incarceration ¦ I am praying tonight that no more harm comes to our young people."

The gathering applauded.

Vivian Goodman, a church member and with Heritage Behavioral Health Center, asked the youths in the audience to raise their hands if they had a cell phone or MySpace page.

Every young person's hand went up.

"Then use that for positive things. Send that text message to your friends and tell them to pass it on (about stopping violence)," she told them.

Afterwards, everyone gathered around in a circle and held hands.

Thomas Walker led them in prayer.

"You are not too small or little to take a stand against violence and can pray," he said.

He then bent over some little ones and told them: "You can tell God anything."

Sheila Smith can be reached at sheilas@herald-review.com or 421-7963.