JUST gRACE – a congregation’s experience

We spoke this “Prayer for JUST gRACE” after viewing video. Click to enlarge image.

The synod’s Racial Equity Team gave its first of three presentations this morning via a video from All Saints Lutheran Church in Bowie, Md.

In this powerful video, the Rev. Gary Rhinesmith explained that two recent tragic national events affected their congregation’s approach to reflection and discussion on racial justice: Michael Brown’s killing in Ferguson, Missouri and the nine Charleston church members during worship.

Pr. Rhinesmith described their year-long congregations task force. Different All Saints members shared their thoughts about the process thus far. Here is the gist of those comments.

• We now pass the peace with a whole new level of meaning.
• We can be Christ’s instruments of God’s redemptive work in the world.
• We can minister to each other by simply talking…addressing it differently than the way we have in the past…
• We can face-to-face share in a graceful way. This allows us to minister to each other and do God’s will. We can see ourselves in another person’s circumstance.

The video is available on the synod’s YouTube channel at: https://youtu.be/zS8_5QXTaoM