Pastoral Letter on Black Lives Matter Signs
January 11, 2015
Dear First Congregational members, friends, and community members,
First Congregational United Church of Christ was founded by abolitionists who came to Kansas from New England in the 1850s with the hope of ensuring Kansas’s entry into the union as a free state. We have long been a people who take issues of justice seriously. We have committed ourselves to the work of racial justice for the long haul. In the past few months we have attended and hosted prayer vigils, stood in the cold at rallies, and have worked closely with leaders from the Black Student Union at K-State as we all live into the challenges of this particular moment in history.
In Decembe 2014r, about 75 people from our congregation attended a brainstorming session after worship on the topic of racial justice. We came away from that session with the idea of ordering Black Lives Matter yard signs. Our Vitality & Outreach committee ordered the signs. Our Church Cabinet unanimously voted to place signs in our churchyard.
The signs were placed in our churchyard on January 5, 2014. To date, we have received four phone calls from concerned community members who believe the signs are offensive. We did not put the signs up because we want to make people angry, but we did realize that some might have that reaction. The purpose of the signs is to stand in solidarity with the movement that is growing all over our nation. Places like Ferguson and New York may seem far from Kansas, but what happens in those places affects us all. Most importantly, it is our prayer that people of color in our town will know that they are affirmed, loved, and that there are congregations here in Manhattan that are committed to the work of racial justice.
There are some who say, “Why not all lives matter?” Much has been said on this subject already and I would refer you to this concise and helpful piece from Sojourners. Our affirmation that Black lives matter does not mean, of course, that Black lives matter more than other kinds of lives. Of course we believe Latino lives, Asian, Middle Eastern, Native, White lives matter. We believe God cares deeply about all lives and we are called to do the same. We also recognize that we live in a country that has struggled with the sin of racism since it’s founding. There has never been a question that White lives matter in our nation.
We also want to clarify that we are not anti-police. The two sentiments do not go hand in hand. We are thankful for the women and men who are dedicated to ensuring the safety of all people. In particular, we are thankful for the important work the Riley County Police Department has done in recent months as we grapple with these questions. We are thankful for their dedication to avoiding biased-based policing. It is our hope and prayer that dealing with the systemic racism that plagues our society we help create a more just and peaceful society where police officers – just like all the rest of us – will find their lives improved.
Finally, there are some who are asking, “Is this all about Ferguson?” No, it is not. The death of Michael Brown was a moment that is a part of a movement. The long struggle for justice for people of color is about much more than what happened in Ferguson or even about acts of police brutality. We recognize that the work of seeking racial justice is a marathon– not a sprint.
If you’d like to have a sign for your own yard, we’d love to share. Just stop in during the week or on a Sunday to pick one up. If you are interested in working alongside us, we would certainly love more company on the journey. Please be in touch so we can work together.
Blessings on you and may God’s peace go with you,
Rev. Caela Simmons Wood
Dear First Congregational members, friends, and community members,
First Congregational United Church of Christ was founded by abolitionists who came to Kansas from New England in the 1850s with the hope of ensuring Kansas’s entry into the union as a free state. We have long been a people who take issues of justice seriously. We have committed ourselves to the work of racial justice for the long haul. In the past few months we have attended and hosted prayer vigils, stood in the cold at rallies, and have worked closely with leaders from the Black Student Union at K-State as we all live into the challenges of this particular moment in history.
In Decembe 2014r, about 75 people from our congregation attended a brainstorming session after worship on the topic of racial justice. We came away from that session with the idea of ordering Black Lives Matter yard signs. Our Vitality & Outreach committee ordered the signs. Our Church Cabinet unanimously voted to place signs in our churchyard.
The signs were placed in our churchyard on January 5, 2014. To date, we have received four phone calls from concerned community members who believe the signs are offensive. We did not put the signs up because we want to make people angry, but we did realize that some might have that reaction. The purpose of the signs is to stand in solidarity with the movement that is growing all over our nation. Places like Ferguson and New York may seem far from Kansas, but what happens in those places affects us all. Most importantly, it is our prayer that people of color in our town will know that they are affirmed, loved, and that there are congregations here in Manhattan that are committed to the work of racial justice.
There are some who say, “Why not all lives matter?” Much has been said on this subject already and I would refer you to this concise and helpful piece from Sojourners. Our affirmation that Black lives matter does not mean, of course, that Black lives matter more than other kinds of lives. Of course we believe Latino lives, Asian, Middle Eastern, Native, White lives matter. We believe God cares deeply about all lives and we are called to do the same. We also recognize that we live in a country that has struggled with the sin of racism since it’s founding. There has never been a question that White lives matter in our nation.
We also want to clarify that we are not anti-police. The two sentiments do not go hand in hand. We are thankful for the women and men who are dedicated to ensuring the safety of all people. In particular, we are thankful for the important work the Riley County Police Department has done in recent months as we grapple with these questions. We are thankful for their dedication to avoiding biased-based policing. It is our hope and prayer that dealing with the systemic racism that plagues our society we help create a more just and peaceful society where police officers – just like all the rest of us – will find their lives improved.
Finally, there are some who are asking, “Is this all about Ferguson?” No, it is not. The death of Michael Brown was a moment that is a part of a movement. The long struggle for justice for people of color is about much more than what happened in Ferguson or even about acts of police brutality. We recognize that the work of seeking racial justice is a marathon– not a sprint.
If you’d like to have a sign for your own yard, we’d love to share. Just stop in during the week or on a Sunday to pick one up. If you are interested in working alongside us, we would certainly love more company on the journey. Please be in touch so we can work together.
Blessings on you and may God’s peace go with you,
Rev. Caela Simmons Wood
