They have treated the wound of my people carelessly,
saying, “Peace, peace,”
when there is no peace.
(Jeremiah 6:14)
Daunte Wright’s life matters. Yet his life was stolen by tragic and absolutely preventable violence from police.
We, the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area, lift up the soul-level exhaustion of the Black community - both within our presbytery and in our wider society. Our Black siblings are beloved, made in God’s image, and deserve safety, joy and thriving. Their voices and advocacy call all of us to join together in the work for change.
Yes, we must pray… and, as a majority-white presbytery, our faithful prayers must be matched with transformative actions within ourselves and our systems. In this moment, we must keep our eyes firmly fixed on what truly matters: reforming our hearts and our systems, including our systems of policing.
We must not mistake quiet streets for peace.
We must not accept explanations as innocence.
We must not equate protests of lament for “violence.”
This is our prayer, our lament, and our confession - and it is one that must take root in our lives and change us going forward.
Jean Emmons, Moderator
Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area
