Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Like you, I have been dismayed, angry, saddened, despairing — and sometimes encouraged by people doing the right thing — over the last ten days. Our country has plunged into another crisis because of what has been called “America’s Original Sin” — racism.

We all know that the murder of George Floyd — a brother in Christ — at the hands of a Minneapolis Police Officer was horribly wrong. We also know that the racism that makes deaths like this far too common is horribly wrong.

As followers of Jesus, we believe that all people are created in the image of God. We also remember that Jesus consistently reached out to and empowered people who were oppressed and marginalized. Jesus confronted injustice. As followers of Jesus, we are called to do the same.

In these tumultuous days, perhaps you, like me, have been wondering, “What can I do?”

Last night, the Trinity Lutheran Church Council decided that we can do one small thing. We can, as a church, acknowledge that the murder of George Floyd was a grave injustice. We can, as a church, recognize that racism still infects our country, and we must work to eliminate it.

One way we can begin to do this is to gather at 2:09 PM on Sunday, June 7 at Trinity Lutheran Church, 20 Meadowlark Road, Vernon, CT. We will stand on the lawn in clearly marked areas to maintain proper social distancing. We will spend 9 minutes in silence, acknowledging those nine minutes during which George Floyd begged for his life as he was suffocated. We will briefly pray for justice and then disperse. Those who would like to participate but who do not feel comfortable standing on the lawn may stay in their cars in the parking lot. Volunteers will direct car and foot traffic to ensure social distancing.

This is a very small first step. Until we acknowledge that something is wrong and that it must change, change is impossible. We have to start somewhere. We will do more in the future. Standing or kneeling in silent acknowledgement that we must confront injustice, and then praying for God’s help as we do so, seems like a reasonable place for followers of Jesus to begin.

Please contact me if you have any questions or if you would like to volunteer to help.

Please use the link below to sign up on a Google form so that we know how many people are coming. If you have trouble with the link, please contact me.

Please pray for justice.

Peace,

Pastor Tim

Tim Oslovich, Pastor