Dear Friends,

Since Tuesday afternoon, Charlotte has been rocked by reverberations emanating from the death of Keith Lamont Scott.  One of many things that these events have accentuated is the yawning chasms which exist not only in our nation, but also in our community, particularly the deep rift created by virtue of our different racial experiences.

This Sunday's gospel lectionary passage is Jesus's parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus.  It is a story about chasms.

The events of this past week have convinced me that we are "the five brothers" of the rich man in Jesus's story.  We have Moses and the prophets, as they did; we have Jesus himself who has risen from the dead, as they did not.  We, like them, are being given an urgent message through Jesus's story: Open your eyes to the racial chasm where you live.  Remember that you are brothers and sisters in God's great and diverse family.  Confess your complicity in perpetuating systems which keep people apart.  Show up when and where people are hurting.  Pray for one another.  And, above all, trust that love which is borne of God will win!

Grace and peace,

Lib

The Geneva choir will sing With a Voice of Singing at the 8:30 service. 

The Chancel choir will sing In Paradisum, from "Requiem" at the 11:00 service.

Stephen Ministry will be highlighted at all three services.