Greetings Beloved Church,
Yesterday, on Epiphany, we celebrated the arrival of the magi to meet the Christ child. Jesus is the Prince of Peace, the divine revelation and messenger of God’s peace to the world.
And on the same day we witnessed heartbreaking violence in and around our country’s Capitol.
Today I am grieving. I lament the violence that has heightened the fear and anxiety already so prevalent in our country. Deep divisions have shattered any illusions of unity. And we lament with the families of the people who lost their lives at the Capitol yesterday.
The Evangelical Covenant Church renounces all forms of violence, nationalism that masquerades as Christianity, unjust and unequal applications of law enforcement, coercive power, separate and unequal legal systems, and hypocrisy of every kind. We accept and endorse the peaceful transition of power, and we pray for our political leaders as Jesus invites us to, regardless of their political affiliation. As people of shalom, we draw together to pray for peace and unity as we seek God’s beloved community.
A few months before the end of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln spoke these words in his second inaugural address, which he delivered at the Capitol building: “With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in to bind up the nation’s wounds…to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.”
And today in our fractured society, we hear the call of Jesus to witness to the gospel of his love that is greater than politics. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).
As Covenanters and as a priesthood of believers, it is our intention to come together during moments such as this in humility, seeking God’s guidance and direction as we move forward. In the coming days, our Love Mercy Do Justice team will share additional resources as we seek to respond as Christians, as Covenanters, as Americans. Watch for updates on our website and communication channels.
We join together as a mosaic of mission friends to seek God in this moment and the Holy Spirit’s guidance.
In Christ’s love,
John Wenrich
