BEVERLY — A website aimed at gun owners encouraged supporters to call St. Barnabas Parish in Beverly to express opposition against a prayer service Saturday night featuring the Rev. Michael Pfleger.
Ammoland.com also suggested readers attend what they called an "anti-gun meeting" at 10134 S. Longwood Drive by dressing “undercover so nobody knows your position on guns until after the meeting begins."
Pfleger was actually one of three panelists who spoke as part of the prayer service organized by the "Thou Shalt Not Murder" campaign, focusing on bringing communities together to stop gun violence. Joining him near the altar was Eugene Williams, chief of the Chicago Police Department's Bureau of Administration, and the Rev. David Kelly, executive director of Precious Blood Ministries of Reconciliation.
READ MORE: 2 Protesters at Fr. Pfleger's Speech Drowned Out by Anti-Murder Message
Once in the crowd, Ammoland supporters were encouraged to seek out any members of the media as well as others to "vigorously defend your right to keep and bear arms," according to the website. No such people approached a DNAinfo reporter at the event Saturday.
The Rev. William Malloy, pastor at St. Barnabas, said the parish received about 25 phone calls before the gathering that featured the pastor of St. Sabina Church. However, he was unaware of anyone from the group attending the event.
Introducing the panel was the the Rev. Dennis Langdon of Morgan Park United Methodist Church. He is one of the nine religious and community leaders from the 19th Ward that launched the campaign as an online petition drive to make Easter Sunday a day without a murder in Chicago.
"This is not a gun control rally. This is not an anti-police rally. It is a worship service," said Landon, setting the tone for the evening.
That said, gun control was one of many topics addressed by Pfleger. He suggested banning assault weapons and mandating background checks for gun owners nationwide.
"We have got to do something about guns," he said.
The Rev. Karen Mooney of the Beverly Unitarian Church said she too had heard rumblings of gun owners gathering at the prayer service. However, she said she believed that if they did attend the event they chose to simply "listen respectfully."
Malloy added that the purpose of the event had little to do with the Second Amendment. Rather, the pastor hosting the prayer service said the speakers were focused on the violence in Chicago and how it impacts all neighborhoods.
"It was hard to protest what we are doing," he said.
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