For just as the body is one and hasmany members, and all the members of the body,
though many, are one body, so it iswith Christ. —I Corinthians 12:12
May 13, 2020
Dear church,
Christ is risen indeed!Alleluia!
During the uncertainty of the COVID-19pandemic, I am encouraged by your resilience and creativity in our witness to thelife, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I am also inspired by yourgenerosity. Through the ELCACOVID-19 Response Fund and our Daily Bread grants, we are providing critical support to struggling yet vitalministries across this church. Through LutheranDisaster Response International we haveintensified our accompaniment of global partners. We are church together.
This is a trying time for us all. Atthe same time, we know that a disproportionate burden of illness, death,discrimination and harassment falls on communities of color. This pandemic hasexacerbated racism and racial inequities deeply entrenched in society andacross the church. We see this in the growing anti-Asian racism and thedisproportionate number of deaths in black, American Indian and Latinxcommunities. I have been learning from the leaders of the ELCA’s ethnic associations how the data we see on the news is experienced in real life. I have listenedto leaders of color share the impact of this pandemic on their communities — ontheir lives and on their ministries. These stories are difficult but important,so we are launching a special series on LivingLutheran.org to lift up these voices for us all to hear. We also seek toensure that our COVID-19 response more effectively tends to the realities ofracism and racial inequality. We are church together.
Recently, in cities across thiscountry, we have seen horrifying anti-Semitic and white supremacist messagesdisplayed during public protests against government orders that are intended toprotect lives. No matter our politics oropinions about our elected leaders and their policies, all of us must cometogether on the basis of our church’s commitments to condemn racism against indigenous people andpeople of color, whitesupremacy, sexism, and anti-Semitism whenever they occur. Whether our churches and communitiesare racially diverse or predominantly white, our work for racial and economic justice for all people is work for all of us. We are churchtogether.
Just asGod has joined us to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ in baptism, weare joined to each other. Paul helps us to understand this by speaking of theone body of Christ, with many members. While this is always true, perhaps wefeel it more acutely in this time of physical distancing. In our longing to bechurch together, let us be even more intentional in sharing with each other,easing each other’s burdens, consoling each other in our fear and grief,condemning what is contrary to the gospel and living out our baptismal covenant“to strive for justice and peace in all the earth.”
In partnership,
TheRev. Elizabeth A. Eaton
PresidingBishop, ELCA
To learn more, visit:
Centersfor Disease Control and Prevention: “COVID-19in Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups” https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/racial-ethnic-minorities.html
ELCA social statement “Freed inChrist: Race, Ethnicity, and Culture” http://download.elca.org/ELCA%20Resource%20Repository/RaceSS.pdf
“Explanation of the Declaration of the ELCA toPeople of African Descent”
https://download.elca.org/ELCA%20Resource%20Repository/Slavery_Apology_Explanation.pdf
ELCA social policy resolution“Condemnation of White Supremacy and Racist Rhetoric” https://download.elca.org/ELCA%20Resource%20Repository/Condemnation_of_White_Supremacy_and_Racist_Rhetoric.pdf
ELCA social statement “Faith, Sexism,and Justice: A Call to Action”
https://www.elca.org/Faith/Faith-and-Society/Current-Social-Writing-Projects/Women-and-Justice
“Declaration of the ELCA to JewishCommunity”
https://download.elca.org/ELCA%20Resource%20Repository/Declaration_Of_The_ELCA_To_The_Jewish_Community.pdf
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 3 million members in more than 8,700 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
