Dear St. John's Community,
In our history spanning more than two centuries, we have seen a lot. St. John's will always be a place at the epicenter of historic moments. We find ourselves in that place today.
We were born out of a fire in a sense, as our cornerstone was the first to be laid after the British burned Washington in the War of 1812, and the architect of our church was working on rebuilding the damaged White House when he built our sanctuary.
We've seen a lot take place from our corner on Lafayette Square, but we have seen new things in the last couple of days, including the first time to my knowledge that our church has been set on fire. Also, we've been in the middle of a firestorm unlike any we have known—both in the sense of the battlefield-like moment when peaceful protesters were driven out with rubber bullets and tear gas from our church's location, and the following unexpected and unprecedented presidential visit without clergy or prayers that immediately became a media firestorm.
My prayer is that these fires will turn into light, so that God's light will shine, and that people who are watching will be given new sight so that they, too, might see new things. I pray that they and we might see more fully the reality of systemic racism in our country, and—even better—people of compassion might see a way to take personal steps to be part of the work of change, honesty and healing that must overcome it.
We as a church are more than a symbol, but we are a gathered community of people who follow Jesus, and who love spreading light. That is who St. John's has been for generations, and we are called to be that church now.
God's peace,
Rob+
