Community Response
Yesterday, a jury in Minneapolis found former police officer Derek Chauvin guilty of three charges in the murder of George Floyd. And while the verdict was being shared, a sixteen-year-old girl was killed by an officer responding to a 911 call on Columbus’ Southeast Side. These two events are reminders that we live with a double reality of comfort and grief, justice and injustice, hope and suffering, the already and the not-yet. This is also the nature of God’s kingdom. It is partially here, but not fully arrived. We have a long way to go as a church, as a community, and as a nation.
Prayer of Healing for Our Asian Community
In 1 Corinthians 12:26 we read of the community of Christ: If one part suffers, every part suffers with it. In this moment, as the body of Christ, we suffer and lament together as we recognize more clearly and mourn the rise of antagonism toward and violence against members of the Asian community in the US. I know that many on our staff and in our church & community are impacted personally in myriad ways. Please, let’s take time as we enter into the weekend to check in on one-another, and on those we serve, and to make space for processing, listening, and care.
A letter from Columbus faith leaders calling for reform and justice.
In recent weeks, two Black men have been shot and killed by law enforcement officers in our city. Andre Hill was shot within ten seconds of being approached in a friend’s garage by a Columbus police officer. He had been invited to his friend’s house that particular evening. No weapon was found at the scene.
