Anti-Racism Work
Race in America
A Pastoral Note on the Death of George Floyd and Public Unrest
Dear Friends in Christ:
In the midst of the unprecedented pandemic, which has already brought an immeasurable loss of lives and livelihoods, our hearts are broken as our nation is being torn apart anew by racism, violence, and political polarization, sparked by yet another unjust killing of a black man, George Floyd, by a rogue police officer last week.
As Christians, we are followers of Jesus and his way of love, which he both taught and embodied. His way of love is utterly incompatible with racism, prejudice, and every form of violence that denies the dignity inherent to each and every human being, for we are all made in the image of God.
We decry the added violence and actions of bad actors who have infiltrated and disrupted peaceful protests, costing yet more innocent lives and causing incalculable damage to shops and businesses. We decry the shooting of police officers during the protests, as in St. Louis and Las Vegas. We join Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and the Bishops of Connecticut and Washington as we decry the unconstitutional and immoral use of force against peaceful demonstrators to clear the grounds of St. John’s Episcopal Church, Lafayette Square in Washington, D.C.
As Christians, we are people of hope and resurrection. Even in the midst of great evil and suffering, we see our Lord at work in the world. We see him in and among our black and brown fellow citizens in their suffering and resilience. We see him in the collective voice demanding systemic change across every sector of our society, to provide justice and equal opportunity for people of color. We see our Lord at work in the countless police officers and public servants who labor tirelessly to preserve the safety of our communities, including those who peacefully exercise their right to demonstrate in the public square. And we see our Lord at work in those officers who have joined protestors by taking a knee or by speaking out against police brutality, such as New Canaan’s own Chief of Police Leon Krolikowski has done.
There is a great deal of work for all of us to do towards healing in our nation as we seek to follow Jesus’ way of love. We reiterate our commitment as a parish to work for racial healing, which began anew this past year at our New Canaan Dinners, led by parishioner Lise Leist and Deacon Kyle Pedersen. St. Mark’s is a community of great love and devotion to one another and to our world.
Finally, and most especially, we are a people of prayer. We pray for the eradication of racism, for the souls of all who have died, for their friends and families, and for the souls of all who have committed violence. And for ourselves, we pray for wisdom, courage, and love, that we might be instruments of God’s peace in the world.
Maranatha,
Peter+, Justin+, and Elizabeth+