From Lee Anderson:
As
we look at the recent tragedies in the world, many of us feel unrest, grief, and a
heaviness of heart. Closer to home, there is unrest among Americans as we
all wrestle with the various ways that racism impacts each of us. It is a
Christian and Methodist value to respond to the cries of people who are
hurting, and not to ignore those cries. Bishop Warner H. Brown, President
of the Council of Bishops of the United Methodist Church, recently released
this letter to United Methodists:
"To
the people of The United Methodist Church:
Grace
and peace to the people called United Methodist and all people of good will. I
greet you in the name of Jesus, the Christ who is risen. From May 1-7, the
Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church will hold its 2015 meeting in
Berlin, Germany. During this week, we will be praying for the church and taking
actions that we hope will help lead the church in a faithful response to the
call of discipleship. Please pray with us, for the church and all those the
church seeks to serve.
We
are a church that practices ministry to the world in Jesus' name. While United
Methodist churches are primarily in Africa, Europe, the Philippines and the
United States, our ministry partnerships connect us with every continent. So,
we grieve when the news of the day reminds us of the many ways the people of
our world are hurting and suffering under the weight of tragedy. We seek to
respond readily with prayers and aid to the natural disasters such as we have
just witnessed in Nepal. And the human inflicted pain also requires a prayerful
response that declares that terrorism, human exploitation, bullying and abuses
of power will not overcome us.
Please
join me and the Council of Bishops in prayer, reflection and action toward
overcoming the issues that sometimes divide our societies. Together we can find
ways, appropriate to our social context, for healing the brokenness between us.
For
those of us in the United States, our attention has been called to the powerful
impact of racism on all of us. If we seek healing, we cannot continue to be in
denial. Some of us have read the shocking Justice Department report on Ferguson
and most have seen the violence that tragically erupted there against police
officers. Since then other unarmed Black men have been killed in several cities
and now Baltimore has also erupted in violence.
As a
Black man who grew up in the very Baltimore neighborhood we have watched
explode, this is personal. I grieve over what I see in my old neighborhood. The
anger in the community is real because of decades of distrust.
Video
documentation has raised expectations that claims of wrongdoing would be
seriously considered; so distrust grows because very few police officers have
been held accountable.
A just
society cannot be built on violence. Violence and misconduct by either a
misguided police officer or an angry citizen will not lead us to beloved
community. Reconciliation can occur when we tell the truth and take
responsibility for our actions.
Rev. Willis Johnson, pastor of Wellspring United Methodist Church which serves Ferguson, Missouri, said this: "Who is going to become a model for dealing with reconciling and truth? That is the role of the Church!"
In
this season of resurrection, the Council of Bishops and I believe that we
followers of Jesus are called to lead the way. Let us examine and repent of our
own sins of racial bias and abuse of privilege. Let us proclaim and live the
Gospel of love and justice for all. Let us become proactive in modeling that
gospel in our churches and teaching it to young and old alike. Let us be
disciples who are engaged with God in transforming our world, beginning in our
own communities, working for justice, judicial reform and good police/community
relations. Let us break down the walls that divide us and build relationships
that vanquish our fears. When we work together for justice and peace, we will
no longer be strangers.
Remember,
all who would follow Jesus, he calls us again and again to "love your
neighbor as yourself."(Matt.22:39) Even out of the injustice and violence
he experienced, Jesus leads us to hope and resurrection. Let us believe in and
practice the power of prayer for our world, our church, our neighbors and our
own lives.
And,
the risen Christ said to his followers, "remember, I am with you
always."(Matt.28:20)
Your
brother in Christ,
Warner
H. Brown, Jr."
Used with permission from United Methodist Communications
