Bishop's Pastoral Letter on Charlottesville
From the Bishop's Desk
Date: August 16, 2017
_____________________________________________________________
Horrible Symptom: Reflections on Charlottesville
Dear fellow servants of the Kingdom,
I have been hesitant to write about what happened in Charlottesville last weekend. So much has been written and said already. And already the events of last weekend have been absorbed into the larger political narrative floating around us. It's not just what happened that draws our attention now - who said what, and when, afterwards seems to be almost more newsworthy. I think we're in danger of losing a focus on the actual events of last weekend. So humbly, and not as if you didn't know these things, I decided to write to you after all.
First, what happened in Charlottesville was a horrible symptom of a horrible problem. No argument about free speech, and no reverence for any historical figure, justifies the kind of hatred that brought white supremacists together last weekend. For many Lutherans especially, the torchlight parade on Friday night and the shouts about the Jews were a terrifying reminder of what happened in Germany in the 1930s. Seeing the way that events unfolded, especially seeing the film of the car crashing into the crowd, we had the chance to witness terrorism of a kind we have (foolishly) tended to associate only with other people's countries.
But what happened in Charlottesville was only a horrible symptom. The problem is racism, our beloved country's original sin. So many people in this country believe that somehow some others have a less important place here, or don't belong here at all. So many of the rest of us, who think we "don't see race," actually don't see the advantages that our own race allows us to assume. The heart-breaking difficulties of talking about race, of calling out the racism of people we love and respect, of confronting our own racism - these difficulties are now again the obvious burden of our time.What happened in Charlottesville will happen again and again; it actually has been happening all along. And we are again being called to work so that the better angels of our history can keep the darker angels at bay.
Only God's grace will make anything good come to pass out of what happened last weekend. God's grace, woven into the fabric of the ordinary world, is what is leading so many people with otherwise divided opinions to say that there was something deeply wrong and dangerous revealed in the events in Charlottesville.
Beyond that, the grace of God poured out through the gospel in the churches will bear fruit, and we pray it will bear fruit through us. I encourage you to talk about what you're thinking and feeling now, and I encourage you to let others do the same. In particular, I encourage you to find people who don't agree with you and to talk to them, even though for most of us this will take some work. As citizens and human beings we are not immune to the pain and anxiety in our country. As Christians, we know that pain and anxiety are not stronger than hope and compassion. As Christian leaders we have the blessed responsibility to say in public that the judgment of God and the mercy of God are still fully operative, and that the Holy Spirit is always at work to draw all people into Christ.
Please forgive me for anything in this message that seems wrong or shallow to you. I know your experience and your situation may give you better insight than I have. I would love to hear from you if you have a comment or just something you want me to know. I am grateful that we are partners together in the work of the gospel, and I'm proud that our synod has already been working on conversations about race and racial equity.And please be sure that I believe we have all the tools we need for this moment, since it is God in Jesus Christ who has called us and who has promised to be with us now and always.
In Jesus,
Dick
The Rev. Richard H. Graham
Bishop
Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Synod
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
NOTE: This From the Bishop's Desk letter is sent to our Rostered Ministers. A version will be publicly available in a "Forum" blog post https://metrodcelca.org/category/forum/
Date: August 16, 2017
_____________________________________________________________
Horrible Symptom: Reflections on Charlottesville
Dear fellow servants of the Kingdom,
I have been hesitant to write about what happened in Charlottesville last weekend. So much has been written and said already. And already the events of last weekend have been absorbed into the larger political narrative floating around us. It's not just what happened that draws our attention now - who said what, and when, afterwards seems to be almost more newsworthy. I think we're in danger of losing a focus on the actual events of last weekend. So humbly, and not as if you didn't know these things, I decided to write to you after all.
First, what happened in Charlottesville was a horrible symptom of a horrible problem. No argument about free speech, and no reverence for any historical figure, justifies the kind of hatred that brought white supremacists together last weekend. For many Lutherans especially, the torchlight parade on Friday night and the shouts about the Jews were a terrifying reminder of what happened in Germany in the 1930s. Seeing the way that events unfolded, especially seeing the film of the car crashing into the crowd, we had the chance to witness terrorism of a kind we have (foolishly) tended to associate only with other people's countries.
But what happened in Charlottesville was only a horrible symptom. The problem is racism, our beloved country's original sin. So many people in this country believe that somehow some others have a less important place here, or don't belong here at all. So many of the rest of us, who think we "don't see race," actually don't see the advantages that our own race allows us to assume. The heart-breaking difficulties of talking about race, of calling out the racism of people we love and respect, of confronting our own racism - these difficulties are now again the obvious burden of our time.What happened in Charlottesville will happen again and again; it actually has been happening all along. And we are again being called to work so that the better angels of our history can keep the darker angels at bay.
Only God's grace will make anything good come to pass out of what happened last weekend. God's grace, woven into the fabric of the ordinary world, is what is leading so many people with otherwise divided opinions to say that there was something deeply wrong and dangerous revealed in the events in Charlottesville.
Beyond that, the grace of God poured out through the gospel in the churches will bear fruit, and we pray it will bear fruit through us. I encourage you to talk about what you're thinking and feeling now, and I encourage you to let others do the same. In particular, I encourage you to find people who don't agree with you and to talk to them, even though for most of us this will take some work. As citizens and human beings we are not immune to the pain and anxiety in our country. As Christians, we know that pain and anxiety are not stronger than hope and compassion. As Christian leaders we have the blessed responsibility to say in public that the judgment of God and the mercy of God are still fully operative, and that the Holy Spirit is always at work to draw all people into Christ.
Please forgive me for anything in this message that seems wrong or shallow to you. I know your experience and your situation may give you better insight than I have. I would love to hear from you if you have a comment or just something you want me to know. I am grateful that we are partners together in the work of the gospel, and I'm proud that our synod has already been working on conversations about race and racial equity.And please be sure that I believe we have all the tools we need for this moment, since it is God in Jesus Christ who has called us and who has promised to be with us now and always.
In Jesus,
Dick
The Rev. Richard H. Graham
Bishop
Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Synod
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
NOTE: This From the Bishop's Desk letter is sent to our Rostered Ministers. A version will be publicly available in a "Forum" blog post https://metrodcelca.org/category/forum/
August 11, 2017: A pastoral letter about North Korea
Dear friends and members of Hope Lutheran Church,
I am writing to you because of the rising tensions between our country and North Korea. The leaders of both countries have escalated the threats and rhetoric to a degree that is deeply worrying. Our own president is talking not just about war but about potentially wiping out an entire people with “fire and fury like the world has never seen before,” in our name. This is a very complicated and delicate situation and we should not underestimate its complexity and the unpredictability of any actions (or inaction) on the part of either country.
However, both as citizens and as people of faith we cannot remain quiet or fall into the temptation of feeling powerless and seeing ourselves as mere spectators. We must remember that ours is a democratic government and that means more than just voting for candidates and outsourcing the responsibilities of our collective decisions to them. Our leaders are elected and appointed to govern on our behalf collectively, as “we the people.” If we disagree with their decisions we must speak out. It is not just lobbyists that have the right to speak to the decision makers and try to persuade them; it is also, and more fundamentally, our right and duty as citizens! So if you are concerned and even disturbed by the bellicose rhetoric being deployed by our president I encourage you to let him know that you are against the threat of wiping out the people of North Korea (who are not responsible for the actions of their brutal dictator) and in favor of de-escalating and pursuing more reasonable and humane solutions. For instructions on how to communicate with the White House you may follow this link: https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact
I also encourage you to contact your representatives in congress. You may do so here: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find/
As people of faith we are called to actively pray and work for peace and justice. As the Psalm appointed for this Sunday (August 13, 2017) has us pray: “Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts” (Psalm 85:8 NRSV). Let us join together in prayer, asking from the bottom of our hearts that the leaders of both nations may see beyond their ire and fear and remember the faces of the innocent people whose very lives and wellbeing depend on them. That they may hear what God the Lord has spoken and that their hearts may be turned to peace. Remember that prayer is the raw material that miracles are made of. So let us pray.
Your pastor,
Carmelo
[email protected]
(703) 829-0299
I am writing to you because of the rising tensions between our country and North Korea. The leaders of both countries have escalated the threats and rhetoric to a degree that is deeply worrying. Our own president is talking not just about war but about potentially wiping out an entire people with “fire and fury like the world has never seen before,” in our name. This is a very complicated and delicate situation and we should not underestimate its complexity and the unpredictability of any actions (or inaction) on the part of either country.
However, both as citizens and as people of faith we cannot remain quiet or fall into the temptation of feeling powerless and seeing ourselves as mere spectators. We must remember that ours is a democratic government and that means more than just voting for candidates and outsourcing the responsibilities of our collective decisions to them. Our leaders are elected and appointed to govern on our behalf collectively, as “we the people.” If we disagree with their decisions we must speak out. It is not just lobbyists that have the right to speak to the decision makers and try to persuade them; it is also, and more fundamentally, our right and duty as citizens! So if you are concerned and even disturbed by the bellicose rhetoric being deployed by our president I encourage you to let him know that you are against the threat of wiping out the people of North Korea (who are not responsible for the actions of their brutal dictator) and in favor of de-escalating and pursuing more reasonable and humane solutions. For instructions on how to communicate with the White House you may follow this link: https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact
I also encourage you to contact your representatives in congress. You may do so here: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find/
As people of faith we are called to actively pray and work for peace and justice. As the Psalm appointed for this Sunday (August 13, 2017) has us pray: “Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts” (Psalm 85:8 NRSV). Let us join together in prayer, asking from the bottom of our hearts that the leaders of both nations may see beyond their ire and fear and remember the faces of the innocent people whose very lives and wellbeing depend on them. That they may hear what God the Lord has spoken and that their hearts may be turned to peace. Remember that prayer is the raw material that miracles are made of. So let us pray.
Your pastor,
Carmelo
[email protected]
(703) 829-0299
August 12, 2017
Dear friends and members of Hope,
As you have heard by now our council has approved a new vision that will help us to focus the work of our congregation for the next three years or so. The vision states that we will be focusing our effort in helping and advocating for “local at-risk, low income, immigrant youth and their families.” You have already sprung into action and have collected over sixteen backpacks and about $900 to benefit youth from Annandale High school. I am moved and inspired by your generosity.
Now we have another opportunity to make a difference in the lives of many of these children and youth. You might have heard in the news about the so called “Dreamers,” children and youth that were brought into this country by their parents or relatives without their knowledge in order to protect them from increasing gang violence and extreme poverty in their home countries. The previous administration signed an executive order, called DACA, to provide them with legal status and the right to work and contribute to our society without fear or deportation. Unfortunately, the status of DACA is now in question and so these youth are living in fear and anxiety that their legal status will be taken away or that they might even end up been deported to a country that they don’t really know.
If you are interested in helping out, please read the information below regarding an action on behalf of these youth that will take place this coming Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. in front of the White House.
Here is the invitation: http://wearecasa.org/event/protect-daca-and-immigrant-youth-aug-15th-white-house/
Here is the information I received:
DACA (Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals) is under intense attack. Ten states' attorneys general have signed a letter threatening legal action if DACA is not dismantled by September 5. Thanks to DACA, nearly 800,000 young people have gained work authorization and temporary protection from deportation. Nonetheless, after a recent meeting with then-Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly, Congressman Luis Gutiérrez (D-IL) reported: "Kelly was basically telling us DACA is facing a death sentence."
Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) have introduced the Dream Act of 2017, which would allow immigrants who came to the United States as children to have a pathway to citizenship. The Claros brothers would have qualified for legal status under this bill.
While the bill has a long and difficult road ahead, we hope you will join us as we fight not only to save DACA but also for longer-term positive legislation.
Contact your U.S. Senators and Representatives and ask them to stand with immigrant youth in the fight for DACA!
Thank you for your continued support.
See you on Tuesday!
In solidarity,
Gustavo Torres
Executive Director, CASA
Your pastor,
Carmelo Santos
[email protected]
(703) 829-0299
As you have heard by now our council has approved a new vision that will help us to focus the work of our congregation for the next three years or so. The vision states that we will be focusing our effort in helping and advocating for “local at-risk, low income, immigrant youth and their families.” You have already sprung into action and have collected over sixteen backpacks and about $900 to benefit youth from Annandale High school. I am moved and inspired by your generosity.
Now we have another opportunity to make a difference in the lives of many of these children and youth. You might have heard in the news about the so called “Dreamers,” children and youth that were brought into this country by their parents or relatives without their knowledge in order to protect them from increasing gang violence and extreme poverty in their home countries. The previous administration signed an executive order, called DACA, to provide them with legal status and the right to work and contribute to our society without fear or deportation. Unfortunately, the status of DACA is now in question and so these youth are living in fear and anxiety that their legal status will be taken away or that they might even end up been deported to a country that they don’t really know.
If you are interested in helping out, please read the information below regarding an action on behalf of these youth that will take place this coming Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. in front of the White House.
Here is the invitation: http://wearecasa.org/event/protect-daca-and-immigrant-youth-aug-15th-white-house/
Here is the information I received:
DACA (Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals) is under intense attack. Ten states' attorneys general have signed a letter threatening legal action if DACA is not dismantled by September 5. Thanks to DACA, nearly 800,000 young people have gained work authorization and temporary protection from deportation. Nonetheless, after a recent meeting with then-Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly, Congressman Luis Gutiérrez (D-IL) reported: "Kelly was basically telling us DACA is facing a death sentence."
Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) have introduced the Dream Act of 2017, which would allow immigrants who came to the United States as children to have a pathway to citizenship. The Claros brothers would have qualified for legal status under this bill.
While the bill has a long and difficult road ahead, we hope you will join us as we fight not only to save DACA but also for longer-term positive legislation.
Contact your U.S. Senators and Representatives and ask them to stand with immigrant youth in the fight for DACA!
Thank you for your continued support.
See you on Tuesday!
In solidarity,
Gustavo Torres
Executive Director, CASA
Your pastor,
Carmelo Santos
[email protected]
(703) 829-0299