Friends in Faith,
Each night, many of us are glued to our TVs, watching the news concerning the latest series of protests happening in Sacramento and throughout the nation. Day after day, protesters are gathering to express their outrage concerning the death of yet another African American man who was killed in an encounter with the police. The majority of these protests seem to have been peaceful, yet there have also been factions involved in violence, destruction, and looting. I have heard several folks saying that what is happening in our streets in 2020 is very reminiscent of the same sorts of protests and riots that erupted in 1968 following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
These are, indeed, troubling and complicated times. We pray that God will bring us through the turmoil to a better place, where all people are cherished as God's own.
But in the meantime, many of you, like me, are feeling strong feelings of sadness, frustration, anger, and despair.
I believe we are feeling these emotions so profoundly because substantial events are added to our plates everyday without any sort of reprieve. This civil unrest comes on the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic which is far from over … and which arrived in a time of tremendous political division in our nation. These past few intense days follow a series of many other unsettling weeks. It's getting to be a lot!
As a nation, we were beginning to take steps to cautiously "re-open" and deal with the massive fallout from COVID-19—mourning the loss of over 100,000 Americans who have died because of the virus … finding jobs for 40 million unemployed … and addressing over 1,600 reported incidents of violence and bigotry towards Asian Americans—but it seems our plans have changed again.
Will the infection rates spike after all of these protests?
Will meaningful dialogue and change result from these protests?
What will the coming weeks bring?
As your pastor, I wish I had the answer to such questions, but the truth is I am struggling to make sense of it all. I'm sorry I don't have the words or abilities to provide you all with comfort, but I do promise to walk with you all in a spirit of love, grace, and compassion.
As a beloved church family, we hold a very unique position in the midst of these chaotic days; we can discuss these heavy issues, we can share our stories, we can hold one another in the light of Christ even if we do not agree with each other. We are the body of Christ and we seek to embody what love in action looks like.
I wanted to share a few resources with you all so that you can be better informed about how our denomination is weighing in on issues related to racism and the COVID-19 response. There are so many brilliant and faithful voices which offer hope in these difficult days.
Presbyterian Mission Agency. For a variety of Presbyterian reflections on current events and news from our denomination, our nation and the world.
The Presbyterian Outlook. This online magazine shares unique and hopeful stories from across our denomination, our nation, and the world.
Our own website has a host of resources, including all of the links for our weekly Zoom meetings. Check out the News page for the latest updates.
Finally, here is a very helpful article concerning grief and how it is very present in our lives these days.
God's peace be with you all,
Jesse
UPDATES:
Don’t forget to join us for our weekly Zoom check in Wednesday, June 3, at 11 a.m. Here are the links again for our Zoom check in and Sunday's 11 a.m. Zoom service because I'm such a nice guy!
“Show me loving-kindness, O God; show me loving-kindness. For my soul goes to You to be safe. And I will be safe in the shadow of Your wings until the trouble has passed. I will cry to God Most High, to God Who finishes all things for me.” —Psalm 57: 1-2
