My Friends in ministry
I am glad tonight for the ruling elders of our congregation. The session did the following:
1. Approved a letter to all our elected officials that confesses our own repentance from the sin of silence on gun violence, committing ourselves to acts of repentance that will contribute to efforts to stop gun violence, calling upon them to take specific actions, and committing ourselves to support them and pray for them in this effort. (The final draft of the letter is attached.)
2. Request a personal meeting with our local, state and federal officials to discuss this with them and hold them accountable for what actions they will take toward solutions.
3.Host a forum for the community with our elected officials and local enforcement officers to have civil conversation how they will follow the President’s call to “take meaningful actions to prevent this from happening again, regardless of politics.”
4. Lead our congregation in conversation, prayer and discernment about the next steps to be taken that will be part of solutions to gun violence.
5. Participate with our neighboring congregations and community in addressing better treatment for persons suffering mental illness.
6. To keep in view the long term larger systemic problem of violence in this country that requires a moral and spiritual awakening to shift the culture.
This helps me to live into Advent and Christmas with joy. We preceded the session meeting as we always do with bible study. The focus tonight was on John 1:1-14, and many remarked on the John’s role in testifying to the Light; being a witness to the Light that is the life of all people, and that the darkness cannot extinguish the Light who has come into the world, in the flesh to live among us, full of grace and truth. It was really quite a remarkable evening.
Roy Howard
Pastor, St. Mark Presbyterian Church
Rockville, MD
