A prayer vigil was held at New Hope Baptist Church in East Orange to honor the victims of last Wednesday's church shooting in Charleston, South Carolina.

As mourners gathered at the Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, the place where nine people lost their lives at the hands of 21-year-old Dylann Storm Roof, the pain was also felt nearly 800 miles away in New Jersey.

A special sermon delivered by pastor Dwight Gill at New Hope remembered the victims and called for unity and peace. "We want to lift the people of Charleston up," he said.

Nine candles were also lit, each representing the victims.

One of the victims, 45-year old Sharonda Singleton, was a Newark high school graduate who received her master's degree at Montclair State University.

Gov. Chris Christie attended a prayer service at Saint Matthew AME Church in Orange Sunday evening.