The Conclave of the Craft wholeheartedly supports the Black Lives Matter movement in its struggle to bring dignity, justice, and liberation to Black people in America. We as a board of directors have struggled with how to make a statement during these troubling times: a statement that reflected our core values, our support for our siblings of color, our demand for justice for those who have been oppressed, and hope and sympathy for those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic downturn that has caused so much loss and uncertainty. We grieve for the continued injustice that has plagued our Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities, especially the recent murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor, and the ongoing suffering of the Navajo Nation.
We find no better way to address these injustices than to echo the words written by former President Barack Obama:
“It’s natural to wish for life “to just get back to normal” as a pandemic and economic crisis upend everything around us. But we have to remember that for millions of Americans, being treated differently on account of race is tragically, painfully maddeningly “normal” – whether it’s while dealing with the health care system, or interacting with the criminal justice system, or jogging down the street, or just watching birds in a park…. It falls on all of us regardless of our race or station … to work together to create a “new normal” in which the legacy of bigotry and unequal treatment no longer infects our institutions or our hearts.”
Barack Obama – May 29, 2020 – Permalink
We also grieve for the renewed violence against our LGBTQIA+ communities in this time of upheaval. It is the beginning of Pride Month, and we recall the struggle made by Queer people, led by Black trans women, to be treated with dignity and justice, a struggle which continues today in courtrooms, in churches, and around kitchen tables.
As a church that affirms and celebrates the diversity of humanity, we stand in solidarity with all who stand up against oppression. Equity and justice are core values of our faith.
Black Lives Matter!
In Service,
Rev. Victoria Chance, HPs 3*^, President
Rev. Alex Gonzalez, HP 3*^, Treasurer
Rev. Amy Rhea, Ps 3*, Vice-President
Rev. Heather Shawver, Ps 2*, Secretary