“Do you accept the freedom and power God gives you to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves?”
~UMC Baptismal Covenant I
These are the words of the covenant that members of the United Methodist Church make when they profess their faith and commit to using their prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness to strengthen the local church and the Kingdom of God at large. If you’ve said “I do” to this statement, if you’ve said
“With God's help we will proclaim the good news and live according to the example of Christ. We will surround these persons with a community of love and forgiveness, that they may grow in their trust of God, and be found faithful in their service to others. We will pray for them, that they may be true disciples who walk in the way that leads to life…Through baptism you are incorporated by the Holy Spirit into God's new creation and made to share in Christ's royal priesthood. We are all one in Christ Jesus. With joy and thanksgiving we welcome you as members of the family of Christ.”
~ United Methodist Baptismal Covenant I
… then you have committed to ensuring that every single person has the opportunity to live fully into who God has created them to be as a Child of God. You have taken on the responsibility to love others by standing up and speaking out when you do see someone who is actively working against those who have been pushed to the margins of our society.
As we gather this Sunday, not only in worship, but recognizing and celebrating those who have served as father figures in our lives, let us remember that there is something else to recognize.
This Sunday, our African American brothers and sisters celebrate the day where all who were enslaved learned of their freedom- the last of whom learned of their freedom two and a half years after it was granted during President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation- a celebration called
“Juneteenth.” It is not a made-up holiday. It is a day where we celebrate a huge step that was taken to dismantle the sin of racism.
But there is still a long way to go.
May the celebration and recognition of Juneteenth be a call for us to live into “challenging unjust systems of power and access…work[ing] for equal and equitable opportunities in employment and promotion, education and training; in voting, access to public accommodations, and housing; to credit, loans, venture capital, and insurance; to positions of leadership and power in all elements of our life together; and to full participation in the Church and society.”
This is part of how we love God, love others, and serve our neighbors. It’s work we do to remove the stumbling block before others so that they might be able to live fully into who God has created and called them to be. It is how we live out the call that Jesus has placed on our lives to proclaim the good news that God has set the captives free.
How will you celebrate and honor this important day in United States history?
Comment your thoughts below!
Blessings friends,
Pastor Nicole