Memorial Congregational Church (MCC) of Sudbury, MA recognizes the deep sadness, anger and fear we are all feeling inflamed by the ever-growing list of murdered Black civilians including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and Tony McDade. Many people have risen to the challenge to protest, once again, against the ongoing violence towards people of color stemming from structural racism and systemic inequality in our nation.
We at MCC unequivocally reject hate, racism, and bigotry of any kind. We have zero tolerance for this in our building or on our social media presence. We are committed to justice for all people and stand in solidarity with those who are asking for a systemic change that will lead to a safer nation for all people. We believe that Black lives matter.
We believe that society is called to repent for the sin of racism and that prayer for ourselves and others can begin to heal the deep, historic wounds faced by our BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) siblings who have suffered oppression and inequality. We believe that there is a “Balm in Gilead that heals the sin sick soul.”
But prayer alone is not enough. We believe that we must be active allies and stand with all people who are oppressed. We believe in using our voices collectively and individually to speak out against oppression and institutionalized hate and violence. We believe doing so is following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ and that this work will lead us towards our vision of a world fulfilling Jesus’ inclusive ministry of peace, love, and justice.
In an effort to help us grieve and protest and as part of our ongoing effort to examine our ministries to ensure that we are serving all who
have experienced rejection, we are actively engaged in addressing racism in sermons, book and movie discussions, personal reflection, attending marches and protests, and increasing our sphere of influence to include more BIPOC voices. We invite you to join us in this effort.
Signed,
Rev. Tom O’Brien, Pastor and Teacher
MCC’s Church Council
We offer the following links for continued education and conversation:
United Church of Christ: Racial Justice Resources
Why Black Lives Matter for Science and Faith
Poor People’s Campaign – A National Call for Moral Revival