Area religious leaders will hold two gatherings in Ames on Wednesday to speak out against the recent rash of church burnings that have gripped the country. The events are being billed as “Unity Day In Our Community.”

The first gathering will begin at 12:15 p.m. in the area north of the Campanile on the Iowa State campus. The second gathering will be held at the Municipal Bandshell Park, located at the corner of Duff Avenue and Fifth Street, starting at 6:30 p.m.

The Rev. LaTonya Harrell, an associate minister of the Corinthian Baptist Church in Des Moines, will be the keynote speaker at both events. Organizers said they will try to bring together religious leaders from as many different faiths as possible to speak at the gatherings.

Harrell ministers to a predominantly African-American congregation. She was contacted by ISU Assistant Dean of Students Teri Houston, an event organizer who attends services at Corinthian Baptist Church.

“I like the fact they have a lot of different faiths coming together to support the African-American churches that have burned,” Harrell said. “However, it saddens me that it takes something like this to bring everyone together.”

ISU student Timothy Radloff will introduce Harrell at the campus gathering and Ames resident Irma Matchett will introduce her at Bandshell Park. Matchett and Radloff are two of the main organizers of the events.

“The most important aspect of these gatherings is that many different religious leaders from many different faiths will speak,” Matchett said.

Matchett said the gatherings evolved from informal meetings that took place at the Collegiate United Methodist Church between members of different faiths.

“A few of us got together and started talking about the recent burnings of the African-American churches,” Matchett said. “I had no idea it would mushroom into something like this.”

Jan Beran, president of the League of Women Voters of Iowa, took part in the informal meetings at Collegiate United Methodist Church. She said the gatherings are a show of unity for the churches that have fallen prey to arson attempts in recent months.

“The events were planned to show concern for terrorism and the burning of the many churches,” Beran said. “We support coming together in a positive light, rather than divisive acts of violence.”

Harrell said the focus of the gatherings will not be entirely geared toward the African-American churches that have burned, but will instead be a show of unity for the many different religious faiths that will be present.

“My concern not only goes out to the black churches that have burned, but for all churches,” she said.