Over the last few days we as a staff and individuals have been grieving over the murder of George Floyd. The impact of this has been felt in our city, our state and across the nation. We stand for peace but we also stand up against injustice. We know that injustice not only grieves us, but grieves God who created all of us in His image (Gen. 1:27) Just as we rejoice with those who rejoice; we mourn with those who mourn. (Romans 12:15)
We cannot and will not turn a blind eye to racism and oppression. As a church, we are called to pray and we are called to action. We are called to stand up against evil. We will take action in ways that honor God and honor our brothers and sisters of color. If you follow any of the Pastors on Facebook, you can see the ways that they each have been standing up to this injustice.
We want to lead you well in this call for change. As a staff and leadership team we are meeting, praying, and educating ourselves on what we can do and what we can do better.
Here are some resources for you
- Ask A Black Man by Terrance Talley - check this out on Instagram - (tltalley)
- Doug Clay (General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God)
- Text Floyd to 55156
- Text Demand to 55156
While most of us may not fully grasp the pain that systemic racism has caused, we can choose to listen and love those who do encounter it without an explanation of their pain. We want to continue to be a bridge in our community that unites, not divides. We want to live out our mission of helping people find and follow Jesus in real and tangible ways. We recognized that some of these conversations may be challenging and at times uncomfortable, but growth and change often is uncomfortable. Now is a time where we have an opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus.