Pastor Brandon Johns left reads to the crowd at the NAMI Butler County candle light service held on Wednesday evening at St. John’s UCC church in Evans City. Shane Potter/Butler Eagle 10/5/22

EVANS CITY — Lights flickering up on the hill in Evans City carried a message of support and hope Wednesday night for people who have faced mental health issues.

The "Candlelight Prayer Service of Hope“ was run by St. John’s United Church of Christ and the Butler County branch of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Congregation members and local residents gathered to share a moment of contemplation and solidarity for victims of mental illness.

The event was held in conjunction with the national Mental Illness Awareness Week, a recognition observed during the first week of October each year since 1990. Candles were available for a $1 donation to support NAMI Butler County.

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