“There will be wailing in all the streets
and cries of anguish in every public square.
The farmers will be summoned to weep
and the mourners to wail.”
– Amos 5:16-17
My heart breaks and my soul wails at the fatal police shooting of Sonya Massey.
We know and remember the names of the many, too many, whose lives have been lost to incidents of police brutality: Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, Freddie Gray, Atatiana Jefferson, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tyre Nichols. We recognize and lament that there are far too many more whose names we do not know.
Disciples Home Missions holds Racial Justice as a core conviction. And as Disciples of Christ, we strive to be an Anti-Racist, Pro-Reconciling church. This means that we not only pray for a better world and envision a more just creation; it means we work for the kind of systemic change that will make those things happen in order to embody the fullness of God’s love from our doorsteps to the ends of the Earth.
Justice and Advocacy Ministries joins the renewed call for the passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, and invites you to do the same. The bill was first introduced in 2021 and was re-introduced earlier this year by Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee. The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act establishes a framework to prevent and remedy racial profiling by law enforcement, limits the unnecessary use of force, increases accountability for law enforcement misconduct, enhances transparency and data collection, and establishes best practices and training requirements. There are rallies in city squares and marches in the streets all throughout the United States demanding this kind of systemic change. I will be attending these events in my community, and I invite you to be a part of them in your’s.
During this election season in the United States, ask your elected officials (and anyone running for office) where they stand on this issue. Let them know that your faith compels you to work against racism, violence, and injustice. Invite them to join you in working toward an Anti-Racist, Pro-Reconciling future where “justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like an everflowing stream” (Amos 5:24)
Threaded below on social media you’ll find articles, resources, and opportunities for engagement. Please use the comments section to share additional links and invitations.
Yours in the Journey,
Rev. Brian. Frederick-Gray
Director for Justice and Advocacy Ministries
@ Disciples Home Missions
