Dear St. Luke’s Community,

You have all been close in spirit over these last weeks when so much is happening in our community and our country. The complexity and pain of racism and living in the midst of a pandemic are difficult to process. We have appreciated conversations with many of you. We’re grateful for your honesty in opening your hearts and sharing your stories as we raise difficult questions, challenge our assumptions, discern how we each wish to respond in integrity, name our uncertainty and vulnerability, and express our sincere hope for healing and transformation.

The verse that continues to come to mind is Micah 6:8 - St. Luke’s foundational scripture over the course of our history. “And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” The verse reminds us of the grace-filled guidance of our loving God.  As people of faith, we can choose to draw on the strengths of community, share compassion and kindness, learn together, pray, take actions of integrity, and trust in God’s powerful, unfailing presence with us. 

The United Methodist Church Council of Bishops, the primary leadership of our denomination, has made a statement firmly denouncing racism and injustice. These beliefs are in alignment with the values of St. Luke’s. We firmly denounce racism and injustice.

We invite you to join in listening to each other and learning together. For opportunities to connect, we’ll continue our Community Conversations over the upcoming weeks. As we seek to practice openness of spirit and a commitment to learning and creating urgent, lasting change, may we walk humbly with God and be part of restoring hope for the future.

With sincere respect and gratitude for you,

Rev. Dr. Sallie Suby-Long

St. Luke’s Executive Team

St. Luke’s Staff

St. Luke’s Lay Leadership