Concerned about racism and injustice but not sure how to help? Connect with St. Andrew “Bridge Builders” every other Tuesday at 7:30 pm for candid conversation rooted in Christian faith, addressing racism and inequity through shared awareness, relationship building, and a commitment to action. For more info and a Zoom link contact Kurt Bruwelheide at bruwelheidek@gmail.com. “Love one another, even as I have loved you” John 15:12
Juneteenth Celebration – June 19, 2022: Special worship and other activities are being planned by Bridge Builders for our St. Andrew family, friends and neighbors to celebrate this important holiday that commemorates the freedom of enslaved people in the United States at the end of the Civil War. Stay tuned for details, coming soon!
February, 2022: Celebrate Black History Month and the wonderful diversity of God’s human family! Learn how you can support brothers and sisters in Christ through racial equity and healing. Link to related resources below.
A Message from Mark Hricko, Senior Pastor – Thank you for your words of appreciation for the responses we have shared with you in these days of renewed awareness of racial injustice, often referred to both in and beyond the Christian church as our nation’s original sin. My hope, and that of Pastor González and our congregational leaders, is that our own pastoral words, along with the conversation many of you viewed in a recent webinar on the church’s response, will inspire self-assessments, confessions, insights, growth, and necessary changes in understanding and behavior for you, as they are doing for us. We believe that God is using this painful time to call each of us to grow in our love for Him by growing in our love for one another and to build upon the diversity of races and cultures which has already blessed our congregational life so richly. While we hope to continue the conversation virtually, and someday in person, we’ve also made a commitment to provide additional resources for your prayerful reflection. There are so many things to read from so many sources. We have carefully selected only a handful, all of which come from the perspective of the Christian faith, the experience of leaders in the Lutheran Church among other traditions, and the teachings of Holy Scripture including the words and actions of Jesus. You will also read of the often unholy history of the church, including actions from which God calls us to repent so that by His grace we may live a new life. And you will once again find words of prayer to assist us all in coming before the Lord with the realities of this world and our constant need for the Holy Spirit’s transforming power.
May these resources be blessings and vehicles for the work of Christ in your life and in the life of our beloved community of faith for the healing and hope of all victims of racial injustice throughout our land and around the world. The Lord be with you+
Statement of the Black Clergy Caucus of the Lutheran Church:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/16Wnob3SUn_Ll4V7fcedf_gUg3eOfpO4y/view?fbclid=IwAR1Zh8kbrKVf5bhMOZCRsHJD7k1MaSG02wxF4YC4QhqZHi8gCOGYwPrlZ9A
Racism: Dealing with it – Prof. Leopoldo Sánchez:
https://concordiatheology.org/2017/08/racism-dealing-with-it/
LCMS Statement on the Death of George Floyd and the Ensuing Unrest:
https://blogs.lcms.org/2020/statement-on-the-death-of-george-floyd-and-the-ensuing-riots/
Social Justice is a Christian Tradition, not a Liberal Agenda:
https://sojo.net/articles/social-justice-christian-tradition-not-liberal-agenda
We Have Refused to Listen: The Murder of George Floyd Calls us to Repentance:
https://medium.com/@chrisahall/we-have-refused-to-listen-71d5e191d46f
Lutherans for Racial Justice:
https://lutheransforracialjustice.com/