February is Black History Month, and local church leaders are offering their support to the community. Below is an unedited open letter signed by sixteen pastors, reverends, and clergy from around Manitowoc County.
In celebration of National Black History Month, we, the below-signed faith leaders want to affirm that equity and justice for all people is a fundamental teaching of the Bible.
White supremacy and racism stand in stark, irreconcilable contradiction to God’s intention for humanity. White supremacy and racism reject part of the human family and are utterly contrary to God’s Word made incarnate in Jesus. These stances are idolatries that elevate human-created hierarchies over God’s freely given grace and love. These beliefs are lies about the human family, for they seek to say that some people are less than other people. White supremacy and racism are lies about God because they falsely claim that God favors some people over the entirety of creation.
Yet, even as we celebrate Black History Month, we acknowledge the complicity of our faith traditions in the creation of white supremacy and racism. We confess the Church’s failure in challenging and disrupting white supremacy and racism. Too often, we have accepted the status quo. Too often, we have stood silent in the face of injustice and oppression.
We are struggling with how to respond to issues of white supremacy and racism that have returned to the forefront of our culture. As a place to begin, we are hosting a free screening and discussion of the documentary, “A Time for Burning” in the Balkansky room of the Manitowoc Public Library on February 8 at 6PM. This 1966 documentary is a passionate and moving documentary exploring the civil rights issue from one of the least likely of vantage points–a white, middle-class congregation in Nebraska. This documentary takes us into our past so we can explore ways to address the very real issues of white supremacy and racism today.
We will follow up with a second discussion on February 29 in the Balkansky room of the Manitowoc Public Library at 6PM. This discussion will focus on how we move forward to combat racism in our society today.
Grace and Peace,
The Rev Dr Colie Bettivia (United Church of Christ), Grace Congregational UCC, Two Rivers
The Rev Dr Steve Butler (United Church of Christ), Retired
Virginia Finnel, Lay Minister (Unitarian Universalist Association), Lakeshore UU Fellowship
The Rev Dr Bruce Hanstedt (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America), Retired
James Hollahan, Lay Minister (Unitarian Universalist Association), Lakeshore UU Fellowship
Linda Hunter, Lay Minister (Unitarian Universalist Association), Lakeshore UU Fellowship
The Rev Dan Borchers (United Church of Christ)
Roxanne Miner, OFS (Roman Catholic), Director of Mission and Pastoral Care, Froedtert Holy Family Memorial Hospital, Manitowoc
The Rev Dan Lyman (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America), Faith Lutheran Church, Valders
The Rev Sheryle Lyman (Presbyterian Church USA), Retired
Barbara Spies, OFS (Roman Catholic), Director of Mission Services & Pastoral Care, Felician Village, Manitowoc
The Rev Dr Patrick W Schultz (United Methodist Church & United Church of Christ), St Mark UCC, Cleveland & St James UCC, Newton
The Rev Dr Matthew L Sauer (Presbyterian Church USA & United Church of Christ), First Presbyterian Church, Manitowoc & Peace UCC, Manitowoc
The Rev Brian Staude (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America & The Episcopal Church), St James Episcopal Church, Manitowoc
The Rev Andrew Wendle (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America), First Lutheran Church, Manitowoc
The Rev Heather Yerion-Keck (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America), St Paul Lutheran Church, Manitowoc & Calvary Lutheran Church, Two Rivers
