Pastor John F. Hannah and New Life Covenant Church SE Transform Tragedy into Triumph with “Prayer on the 9” Peace March - May 17th
Pastor John F. Hannah and New Life Covenant Church SE Transform Tragedy into Triumph with “Prayer on the 9” Peach March - May 17th
This Year’s Event Marks a Monumental Shift as the Church Acquires Infamous Liquor Store Site Once Tied to Tragedy
CHICAGO, IL – April 2025 — In a historic moment for the city of Chicago, Pastor John F. Hannah and New Life Covenant Church Southeast will be joined by thousands for the annual citywide “Prayer on the 9” Peace March on Saturday, May 17, 2025. Starting at 11:00AM in a symbolic shift, this year’s march will begin at 79th & State Street at Mahalia Jackson Courtyard and the march will end at 79th & Greenwood, reversing its traditional path to reflect the transformation underway.
Participants will line the two-mile stretch along 79th Street, joining in a unifi ed call for peace, healing, and revival in neighborhoods too often marked by violence.
Thousands of people in the community will take part in a moving, peaceful march that physically and spiritually reclaims one of Chicago’s most impacted corridors. This year more powerful than ever as the church fi nalized the purchase of Happy’s Liquors — a location long associated with violence and loss on the city’s South Side. “This year, we’re not just marching for peace — we’re claiming ground,” said Pastor Hannah. “We’re turning a site of bloodshed into a center of life.”
A Historic Stop at Happy’s Liquors — And A Vision for the Future
At 12noon, midway through the march, Pastor Hannah and New Life leaders will stop in front of the former Happy’s Liquors (79th & Cottage Grove) site to speak with press and community members. Once a notorious hotspot for crime and multiple homicides, the building will now be transformed into a space for medical offi ces, a business incubator, grocery store, and essential community services.
“This moment represents the exact reason we pray on the 9,” Hannah said. “We don’t just pray and march — we build, we reclaim, we renew.”
More Than A March: It’s A Movement with Purpose
“Prayer on the 9” was founded with a clear mission: to bring awareness to the violence plaguing Chicago’s communities — especially at the start of the summer, when historically, gun violence and youth deaths have surged.
What began as a call to action has become an annual citywide demonstration of love, faith, and advocacy. The event stands as a solemn memorial for those we've lost and a passionate plea to change the narrative moving forward. This is about prayer and presence. About occupying the streets with peace instead of fear. About showing our young people that their lives are valued, their futures are worth fi ghting for, and that there is strength in community.
“Our young people deserve more than trauma. They deserve transformation.” – Pastor John F. Hannah
Event Details:
Date: Saturday, May 17, 2025
➔ 11:00 AM – Opening Address & Beginning of the March (79th & State Street at the Mahalia Jackson Courtyard)
➔ 12:00 PM – Press conference & community address at formerly Happy’s Liquor (79th & Cottage Grove) For media inquiries, contact Dionne Williams (708) 953-0339
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