Our Statement on Racism and White Supremacy

At our August 17, 2017 meeting, the Session voted to affirm the August 14, 2017 statement issued on behalf of the Presbyterian Church (USA) condemning white supremacy and racism in the aftermath of the events of August 11 and 12 in Charlottesville, Virginia (click the link below to view the full statement).

In affirming the statement publicly, we honor our baptismal vow to turn from the ways of sin and renounce evil and its power in the world and stand firmly in the Reformed Tradition’s history of expressing our convictions about what Scripture leads us to say and do.

In particular, we join with the authors of the statement:

in giving thanks for the presence and faithful witness of church members who stand against white supremacy and racism and for those who work to disrupt racism and to build racial equity in place across the country;

in grieving for Heather Heyer, who was killed while standing witness, and state police officers J. Jay Cullen and Berke Bates, who died in a helicopter crash while monitoring events in Charlottesville;

in praying for the recovery of all who were injured;

in affirming that Scripture has been misused to justify white supremacy and racism and proclaiming that the Bible message presents a far more consistent and insistent witness to God’s love for diversity and justice;

in acknowledging the church’s complicity in the creation of white supremacy and, too often, our silence in the face of injustice and oppression; and

in committing ourselves to stand against, speak against and work against racism and white supremacy, this day and every day.

By affirming this statement, we choose to stand on the side of love and we hope, together with you, to discern what is not-love in ourselves and in the world and to stand against it in nonviolent loving resistance.

Jeff Getty

Clerk of Session

Caroline M. Kelly

Moderator

Click here to view the full Presbyterian Church (USA) Statement on Racism and White Supremacy.