It has happened again. Ten people have died at the hands of a young man with a powerful weapon who had been schooled in hate enough to fuel intentional violence against people of color. This is evil, and it is sin. Every time this happens, we think, “We can’t let this happen again,” and every time we do very little to change things.
Part of what matters most here is education about and experiencing the blessing of diversity. That difference is not something to fear, but that it is God’s intention to have people of all ages, shapes, colors, abilities, languages, and nationalities included in God’s kingdom. Every one of us is valuable, unique, created with a purpose, and to be treasured. There is no superior and inferior – we are all equal in God’s eyes. And Black Lives do Matter.
Part of what we as the church can do – and what our Mission and Outreach team has chosen to focus on in 2022 – is to practice Welcome, Inclusion, and Connection. That means living out the values of God’s kingdom here on earth as a faith community. That means welcoming the stranger who does not look like us, and that means including those who seem different knowing that they are loved by God just the same. It also means reaching past what appears to make us different from each other, knowing that we can each grow by making the time to hear each other’s stories and learn about other perspectives and experiences without fear.
There are certainly other issues at play in the conversation about stopping the shootings, but for now, in our life together, let’s focus on having the courage to step outside of what is comfortable and practice embracing differences as a blessing – just like Jesus taught us. Remember, his was a boundary-breaking ministry as he ate with sinners, included Gentiles, and washed his disciples’ feet saying, “Love one another as I have loved you.”
Tune in this Sunday in worship to hear more about how the Holy Spirit helps to lay the groundwork for our courage in making connections. And then get ready to join us for upcoming opportunities to take the leap of faith to welcome, include, and connect with each other, appreciating our differences instead of being separated by them, “for we are all one in Christ Jesus our Lord.” This is an essential part of the work that we as the church must do to help stop future shootings – to offer education in celebrating diversity and practicing empathy.
Yours in Christ,
Rev. Amy