Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral
The Very Rev. Paul J. Lebens-Englund, Dean
Friday, March 5, 2021
Almighty God, who hast created us in thine own image:
Grant us grace fearlessly to contend against evil and to make
no peace with oppression;
and, that we may reverently use our freedom, help us to employ it in the maintenance of justice in our communities and among the nations,
to the glory of thy holy Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
The Book of Common Prayer
Dear Saint Markans & Friends,
On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was killed while in Minneapolis Police custody at the corner of 38th & Chicago in south Minneapolis. Officer Derek Chauvin was filmed kneeling on the back of Mr. Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes & 46 seconds, while Mr. Floyd lay hand-cuffed, face-down on the pavement pleading for his life, announcing his inability to breath, and calling for his mother. Two additional Officers joined Officer Chauvin in restraining Mr. Floyd, while a third Officer blocked on-lookers’ efforts to intervene. During the final two minutes of the 8’46”, Mr. Floyd lay motionless, without a pulse, under Officer Chauvin’s knee. Officers called paramedics, but did not themselves render aid to Mr. Floyd. Officer Chauvin remained on Mr. Floyd’s neck until paramedics arrived. The official autopsy lists Mr. Floyd’s cause of death as ‘cardiopulmonary arrest: complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression.’
Legal proceedings are scheduled to begin inside the highly-fortified Government Center, located in downtown Minneapolis, on Monday, March 8, 2021 with the vetting and seating of a jury. Law enforcement, Media, Human Rights groups and Hate groups, Peace-makers and Violence-provokers, People of good will and People of ill will, People of hope and People of fear will be observing, and many will be descending upon, these painful proceedings in the weeks and months ahead.
Amidst the tension inherent to this sad and conflicted moment, people of every faith will be calling us to hold fast to our better angels, calling us to de-fortify and soften our hearts so the posturing and cold mechanics of this process do not cause us to lose our own very humanity – so they do not cause us to lose sight of the simple reality that a fellow human being – a fellow child of God – had his life prematurely ended in our midst and on our watch, at the hands of law enforcement we created, that we fund, that we oversee through elections and state laws. This death is on all of us, and making a right response is incumbent upon each of us. And while it does no good to posture and harden our hearts, neither is it helpful, nor constructive, to be so enamored with the catharsis of emotion that we relinquish both our agency and our responsibility to address this death and every such death at the policy level, which is where we, as Church, MUST wade into the ‘political’ fray, as people of reason, of conscience, and of conviction – as people who’ve taken vows to ‘seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbors as ourselves’ and to ‘strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being.’
Yet, how we go about this hard work is what marks us as Christ’s own – that even with sleeves rolled up and mud under our fingernails, we would be marked by Love – marked by our capacity both to hope for each other AND to hold each other accountable – marked by our capacity to affirm the dignity of the despised, marked by our capacity to discern the Truth and to speak the Truth in Love, marked by our capacity to hold the rage of the broken-hearted and the dispirited, and marked by our capacity to persist in our demands for real change – structural, cultural, spiritual.
As we revisit the trauma of this past year, may we do so uniquely sensitive to the grief within us and around us, uniquely tender with the reactivity within us and around us, uniquely committed to the hope within us and around us. And in all our strivings to do God’s will at this time, may we be ever grateful for the daily bread with which God’s nourishes us and the beasts and angels through whom God both challenges and consoles us, as our desert days unfold.
We are here for this, friends. And I’m so grateful to be here together with you, holding each other and our community in prayer, lifting each other up in Love.
Be well – do good – and know that I remain yours, in Christ,
Paul+
There are opportunities throughout the day to pray for justice and for Black liberation. You are invited to participate in whatever way you feel called and able:
8:00am Church Bells & Prayer: Bells will ring city-wide, followed by 8 minutes & 46 seconds of silence & prayer, followed by more bells
8-11:30am Mutual Aid Event at George Floyd Square: Collecting goods for those in need
The acceptance of donations will take place all day, but the "drive" is during this time. Anyone can volunteer to assist receiving and organizing donations. If you'd like to volunteer, please email the Rev. Jia Starr Brown at jstarrbrown@1stcov.org
If you'd like to donate supplies, they're specifically asking for:
- diapers sizes 3-6
- disinfectant wipes
- hand soap
- laundry detergent
- toilet paper
- menstrual pads.
12-2:00pm There's a space for story-sharing for Black men. During this time, all folks of other identities will be invited to participate in other events elsewhere in George Floyd Square
2-5:00pm Open mic for BIPOC folks: All are welcome to attend
5:45-7pm Interfaith Vigil: Clergy are invited to wear collars and stoles
All events at George Floyd Square take place outdoors. Attendees must wear masks and remain physically distanced. If you are not feeling well, please join us in prayer from home.
Whether you’re participating in the Day of Prayer directly or indirectly, please take time this weekend to watch this video from United Theological Seminary (3.2.21: Rev. Traci Blackmon & Rev. Steven Belton, hosted by the Rev. Dr. Gary Green) in thoughtful, prayerful preparation for the days, weeks, and months ahead.
