A word from Pastor Dennis on responding to the death of George Floyd and all that has happened since:

Groaning. My response to this point has been a lot of groaning. The word, "groaning," jumped off the page at me as I read Romans 8:12-26 today. The words in v. 22 and 23 mean groan together, be in travail together (as in the contractions of childbirth), and groan inwardly. Any glance at the Minnesota news over the past few days leave us "groaning together" and "groaning inwardly."

Please join me in groaning together. The good news about groaning is God the Holy Spirit joins us in our groaning: (v.26) "the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words."

If you are looking for some words that might help articulate your groaning for the George Floyd family and all that has and is happening around his murder, use these words from Micah 6:8:

"And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly
and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God."

Our prayers go out to the Floyd family, residents of Minneapolis whose lives have been disrupted by the violence, and to our country and those in positions of authority. Let me attempt to put our groaning into words...

God, hear our groans together for justice, mercy, to walk humbly with You. You, Jesus, bore the pains of injustice and You turned it on its head. You are now risen and ascended King of all kings. You have all authority in heaven AND ON EARTH. Through our prayers, through our peaceful protest, through our words and lives extend Your justice, apply Your mercy, show us how to walk humbly with You. Amen.