1 Corinthians 13:1-3:  If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

 

For 400 years, racism has been a destructive force on the soul of America.  Much of our nation’s prosperity has come at the expense of Black and Brown populations.  Social, government, and criminal justice systems have perpetuated racist policies.  Racial inequities have hurt Black and Brown communities, not only by limiting access to basic needs such as health care, education, housing, and employment, but also by limiting access to freedom and the pursuit of happiness. 

 

Over the past few weeks, we have witnessed unmitigated injustice, discrimination and racism.  We watched in disgust and horror as the lives of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks, and Ahmaud Arbery were ended in a violent and brutal way, shaking us into a realization of just how dangerous it is to be Black in this country.  Let us turn our horror and anger into resolve and action. We must dismantle racial oppression and eliminate race-related violence.  We cannot allow ourselves to slide back into repression and denial.  

 

We stand against racial profiling, police brutality, and racially discriminatory criminal justice practices

 

We call on corporate leaders and leaders of local, state, and federal government to acknowledge the pain in Black and Brown communities, to listen to the needs of people of color, and to make sustainable social changes to combat racism and discrimination.

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We oppose symbols and language of white nationalism.

 

We recognize that a disproportionate number of people of color are affected by Covid-19, and call for a just health care system.  

 

We recognize that during this pandemic, unemployment in the Black population is disproportionately high, and we will advocate for fair and equitable education and work opportunities for people of color. 

 

We will work to collectively deepen our understanding of racism, the different forms it takes, and how it affects us.

 

We will work to eliminate racial and ethnic prejudice in the realm where we have the most influence – within ourselves and within our church. We will educate ourselves and challenge each other to learn about the roots of white supremacy in our faith and our religious organization, and to work intentionally and actively to dismantle racism in all its forms.

 

“Love is the ultimate force that makes for the saving choice of life and good against the damning choice of death and evil. Therefore the first hope in our inventory must be the hope that love is going to have the last word.”  Arnold Joseph Toynbee

 

Trinity Church of Northborough, Board of Deacons

June 25, 2020