CHICAGO (May 29, 2020) — The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), has called on the church to join with faith communities across the United States in lament and remembrance, and on our elected leaders to observe Monday, June 1, as a day of mourning to honor the more than 100,000 people who have died from COVID-19.
"I encourage all of us in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to join together across faith lines in this time of collective mourning," Eaton said. "This weekend our Jewish neighbors will remember God's covenant, our Muslim neighbors will recall the reception of the Quran, and as Christians we will celebrate the power of the Holy Spirit present among us. In the significance of these days in our traditions, our faith communities will collectively lament and remember the more than 100,000 lives that have been lost to COVID-19. We join together in prayer for the healing of this nation, and for the world that God so loves."
The day of mourning calls on all religious communities to come together in observing this historic moment in their own traditions and practices. A toolkit and other resources are available for local religious leaders and mayors.
"We are united – as individuals, as communities and as a nation – in our grief," said Kathryn M. Lohre, assistant to the presiding bishop and executive for ELCA ecumenical and inter-religious relations. "The interfaith community has recognized this and claimed this moment as a time to come together as the Christian family and with our neighbors of other religions and worldviews, to mourn the tragic loss of over 100,000 lives. The faith communities also call upon our elected leaders to designate June 1 as a national day of prayer and remembrance, as a time set aside for national mourning."
Federal and local governments are also being called on to observe the day of prayer and remembrance by the lowering of flags, moments of silence and other methods of reflection.
In contemplation of the gravity of the COVID-19 situation during the season of Pentecost, Eaton, along with the Most Rev. Michael B. Curry, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, invite members to pray for and with one another through a new prayer, "A Prayer for the Power of the Spirit Among the People of God."
This new prayer for Pentecost was crafted by a team of Lutheran and Episcopal prayer leaders in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. It will connect the two church bodies in common prayer and remind members of the common mission, wherever and however we may be gathered.
The ELCA and the Episcopal Church are approaching the 20th anniversary of their full communion agreement, "Called to Common Mission."
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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 nearly 3.5 million members in more than 9,100 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
773-380-2877
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8).
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) reaffirms its commitment to combating racism and white supremacy following the recent murders of Black Americans. Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Dreasjon (Sean) Reed, and George Floyd were our neighbors. Ahmaud Arbery was chased down, shot, and killed by a retired police officer and his son while jogging in Brunswick, Ga. (Feb. 23, 2020). Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency medical technician, was shot eight times by Louisville Metro Police Department officers who entered her apartment while serving a "no-knock warrant" (March 13, 2020). Dreasjon (Sean) Reed, a 21-year-old from Indianapolis died after being shot at least eight times by an Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officer (May 6, 2020). George Floyd was killed by police in Minneapolis while begging for his life, a block away from Calvary Lutheran, an ELCA congregation (May 25, 2020). As the Conference of Bishops, we condemn the white supremacy that has led to the deaths of so many unarmed Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color in our country. We grieve with, pray for and stand in solidarity with the families and friends of all whose loved ones have been and continue to be victims of injustices run amok, racist violence and the insidious venom of white supremacy.
The ELCA's social policy resolution, "Condemnation of White Supremacy and Racist Rhetoric," adopted by the 2019 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, states: "As persons called to love one another as God has loved us, we therefore proclaim our commitment to speak with one voice against racism and white supremacy. We stand with those who are targets of racist ideologies and actions." As church, together we must work to condemn white supremacy in all forms and recommit ourselves to confront and exorcize the sins of injustice, racism and white supremacy in church and society and within ourselves as individuals and households.
On May 21, the ELCA Southeastern Synod hosted a webinar: "Becoming the Body of Christ – Condemning White Supremacy" in response to the killing of Ahmaud Arbery. This is one of many strategic opportunities happening across this church to address white supremacy and racist rhetoric. On June 17, we will gather again as church to commemorate the Mother Emanuel 9 and to repent of racism and white supremacy. An online ELCA prayer service, including leaders from across the church and Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton as preacher, is being planned for June 17, 2020, marking the fifth anniversary of the martyrdom of the Emanuel 9. We encourage congregations to reaffirm their commitment to repenting of the sins of racism and dismantling white supremacy that continue to plague this church by marking this day of penitence with study and prayer leading to action. https://www.elca.org/emanuelnine
The Rev.
Thomas M. Aitken
Bishop,
Northeastern Minnesota Synod
The Rev. Abraham
D. Allende
Bishop,
Northeastern Ohio Synod
The Rev.
Jon V. Anderson
Bishop,
Southwestern Minnesota Synod
The Rev.
James A. Arends
Bishop, La
Crosse Area Synod
The Rev.
Daniel G. Beaudoin
Bishop,
Northwestern Ohio Synod
The Rev.
Susan J. Briner
Bishop,
Southwestern Texas Synod
The Rev.
Shelley M. Bryan Wee
Bishop,
Northwest Washington Synod
The Rev.
Michael L. Burk
Bishop,
Southeastern Iowa Synod
The Rev.
Susan Candea
Bishop,
Central States Synod
The Rev. H.
Jeffrey Clements
Bishop,
Northern Illinois Synod
The Rev.
Barbara J. Collins
Bishop,
Upper Susquehanna Synod
The Rev.
Yehiel Curry
Bishop,
Metropolitan Chicago Synod
The Rev.
Patricia A. Davenport
Bishop,
Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod
The Rev.
Suzanne D. Dillahunt
Bishop,
Southern Ohio Synod
The Rev.
James S. Dunlop
Bishop,
Lower Susquehanna Synod
The Rev.
Paul T. Egensteiner
Bishop,
Metropolitan New York Synod
The Rev.
Paul D. Erickson
Bishop,
Greater Milwaukee Synod
The Rev. R.
Guy Erwin
Bishop, Southwest
California Synod
The Rev.
Katherine A. Finegan
Bishop,
Northern Great Lakes Synod
The Rev.
William O. Gafkjen
Bishop,
Indiana-Kentucky Synod
The Rev.
Michael K. Girlinghouse
Bishop,
Arkansas-Oklahoma Synod
The Rev.
William J. Gohl
Bishop,
Delaware-Maryland Synod
The Rev.
James W. Gonia
Bishop,
Rocky Mountain Synod
The Rev.
Erik K. Gronberg
Bishop,
Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana Synod
The Rev.
Constanze Hagmaier
Bishop,
South Dakota Synod
The Rev.
Lorna H. Halaas
Bishop,
Western Iowa Synod
The Rev.
Regina M. Hassanally
Bishop,
Southeastern Minnesota Synod
The Rev.
James E. Hazelwood
Bishop,
New England Synod
The Rev.
Mark W. Holmerud
Bishop,
Sierra Pacific Synod
The Rev.
Robert F. Humphrey
Bishop,
Virginia Synod
The Rev.
Deborah K. Hutterer
Bishop,
Grand Canyon Synod
The Rev.
Richard E. Jaech
Bishop,
Southwestern Washington Synod
The Rev.
Laurie A. Jungling
Bishop,
Montana Synod
The Rev.
Donald P. Kreiss
Bishop,
Southeast Michigan Synod
The Rev.
Wilma S. Kucharek
Bishop,
Slovak Zion Synod
The Rev.
Kristen E. Kuempel
Bishop
Northwest Intermountain Synod
The Rev.
Kurt F. Kusserow
Bishop,
Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod
The Rev.
Laurie A. Larson Caesar
Bishop,
Oregon Synod
The Rev.
Michael L. Lozano
Bishop,
Northwestern Pennsylvania Synod
The Rev.
Patricia J. Lull
Bishop,
Saint Paul Area Synod
The Rev.
Brian D. Maas
Bishop,
Nebraska Synod
The Rev.
John S. Macholz
Bishop,
Upstate New York Synod
The Rev.
Gerald L. Mansholt
Bishop,
East-Central Synod of Wisconsin
The Rev.
Idalia Negron-Caamano
Bishop,
Caribbean Synod
The Rev.
Leila M. Ortiz
Bishop,
Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Synod
The Rev.
Michael L. Rhyne
Bishop,
Allegheny Synod
The Rev.
Michael W. Rinehart
Bishop, Texas-Louisiana
Gulf Coast Synod
The Rev.
Peter Rogness
Interim
Bishop, South-Central Synod of Wisconsin
The Rev. S.
John Roth
Bishop,
Central/Southern Illinois Synod
The Rev.
Craig A. Satterlee
Bishop,
North/West Lower Michigan Synod
The Rev.
Laurie Skow-Anderson
Bishop,
Northwest Synod of Wisconsin
The Rev.
Timothy M. Smith
Bishop,
North Carolina Synod
The Rev.
Kevin L. Strickland
Bishop,
Southeastern Synod
The Rev.
Pedro M. Suarez
Bishop,
Florida-Bahamas Synod
The Rev.
Ann M. Svennungsen
Bishop,
Minneapolis Area Synod
The Rev.
Andrew A. Taylor
Bishop,
Pacifica Synod
The Rev.
William T. Tesch
Bishop,
Northwestern Minnesota Synod
The Rev.
Steven L. Ullestad
Bishop,
Northeastern Iowa Synod
“As for me, I am establishing my covenant with
you and
your descendants after you” (Genesis 9:9).
Dear church,
In today’s lectionary text,
Genesis 9:8-17, Noah receives God’s covenant. The rainbow becomes a sign of the
irrevocable promise of God’s faithfulness and mercy — of God’s peace for all
creation. So, too, are we called to be signs of, or witnesses to, God’s peace.
With you, we are alarmed by a
completely different kind of sign. As you know, protests against stay-at-home
orders have erupted over the past few weeks. Protesting is a
valid public expression, but here in Illinois, protesting has included people
carrying placards with anti-Semitic messages directed at our governor, J.B.
Pritzker. There is a twisted logic in comparing our Jewish governor with the
Nazi regime, but the impact of
these messages is still to promote anti-Semitism and its evil companions: white
supremacy, racism and sexism. We, the ELCA bishops in Illinois, publicly
denounce this bigotry here and wherever it occurs. Anti-Semitism is contrary to
the irrevocable promise of God and “a violation of our hope and calling” as
witnesses to God’s peace (Declaration
of the ELCA to the Jewish Community, 1994).
In our ELCA social teaching we
acknowledge that there are times when “through faithfulness in its life and
activities as a community for peace, the Church in the power of the Holy Spirit
becomes a presence for peace that disturbs” (For
Peace in God’s World, 1995). This is one of those times. Even as we seek peace amid a
pandemic, we must uphold our commitments to our Jewish neighbors. No matter our politics or opinions about our elected leaders
and their policies, all of us must come together on the basis of our church’s
commitments to “oppose the deadly working of such bigotry” (1994 Declaration).
In Christ’s love, all of us
continue to pray for Governor Pritzker and all our elected leaders as they make
difficult decisions intended to protect lives. As a church, we encourage one
another to abide by government policies that seek to safeguard the health and
well-being of our communities, and to participate in healthy forms of civic
engagement.
In peace and in partnership,
The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton
Presiding Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Rev. John Roth
Bishop, Central/Southern Illinois Synod
The Rev. Yehiel Curry
Bishop, Metropolitan Chicago Synod
The Rev. Jeffrey Clements
Bishop, Northern Illinois Synod
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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 nearly 3.5 million members in more than 9,100 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
773-380-2877
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org