Dear Partners in Ministry, Colleagues and Friends of LIE District,
Grace and peace of our risen Lord be with you!
Since the egregious murder of George Floyd over a couple of weeks ago, the world around us has awakened to a stronger sense of united purpose to end racism, address racial injustice and police brutality.
In his 5/28 letter, Bishop Bickerton gave us a call to action in response to the latest act of racial violence:
• Call names of victims of injustice in worship,
• Raise the issue,
• Address the racism.
• Invite reflection.
• Develop a plan to read more, know more, advocate more.
• And PRAY.
• Work tirelessly so that all people are valued and treated with dignity and respect.
If you have not already taken a positive action, I urge each congregation in our district to DO SOMETHING GOOD to promote healthy race relations, to address racism within and out of our own communities, to work to end racial injustice and violence. Some of you are already doing something positive to make a difference in light of racial injustice; for that THANK YOU for leading the way!
Some of the ideas shared at a recent District Council on Ministry meeting and other ideas added here:
• Hold virtual anti-racism workshops
• Invite local legislators, school superintendents and other community leaders to come to a local town meeting and let people express to them the changes they’d like to see
• Post a banner outside the church to love ALL people
• Letter-writing campaigns to politicians to effect change
• Mobilize a poster making OR signage campaign to display on lawns against racism
• Reach out to a cross cultural neighbor/community center
• Engage your children’s ministry to write cards/make prayer posters to display in the community
• Generate a positive message campaign of love, peace & friendship on FB/social media
• Your idea
• “75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice” by Corinne Shutack. https://medium.com/equality-includes-you/what-white-people-can-do-for-racial-justice-f2d18b0e0234
As followers of the risen Christ, we have been called to a new life, commissioned with the mission of proclaiming the good news of God’s love and grace, offering hope and eternal life in the name of Christ to all the world around us. This is both a personal and corporate mission that we are called to live out. Let us continue. Light up your world with the light and love of Christ. Do good. Do no harm. Stay in love with God.
I end with a prayer that you can use in church and a prayer song encouraging all to do something positive in the name of Christ Jesus our Lord.
God of love, we have strayed far from Jesus’ command of love and now we see where the resulting lack of compassion for our brothers and sisters has led us. This is a deadly evil O Lord! Worse still, we see racism both blatant and subtle in the Church. Have mercy upon us we pray. By the power of Your Holy Spirit lead us to repentance. Open our eyes to see oppression around us and to see those who are chafing and suffering under it’s ungodly yoke. Remind us that silence is complicity. Rise up Church! This we pray in Jesus’ mighty name. AMEN (Prayer by Pastor T. Moore)
INSTRUMENTS OF YOUR PEACE
Lord make us instruments of Your peace
Where there is hatred let Your love increase
Lord make us instruments of Your peace
Walls of pride and prejudice shall cease
When we are Your instruments of peace
Where there is hatred we will sow His love
Where there is injury we will never judge
Where there is striving we will speak His peace
To the people crying for release
We will be His instruments of peace
Where there is blindness we will pray for sight
Where there is darkness we will shine His light
Where there is sadness we will bear their grief
To the millions crying for release
We will be His instruments of peace (Song written by Don Moen)
Serving Together in Christ’s Love,
Julia YH Yim
“A new new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.
Jn 13:34-35
“Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers?” Malachi 2:10
