Alton Sterling

Philando Castile

In Dallas…

Brent Thompson

Patrick Zamarripa

Michael Krol

Michael Smith

Lorne Ahrens

And Madison…

Paul Heenen

Tony Robinson

Michael William Schumacher

When I went back to my sermon for this gospel text from 2013, I was shocked to learn that I mentioned in it the not guilty verdict George Zimmerman received the previous day in his trial over the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. The lectionary has moved through three years since then and America’s culture of violence and idolatry of guns has brought us to a place that none of us could have imagined on July 14, 2013. With the shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, and the shootings of law enforcement officers in Dallas after a protest rally, our hearts are raw with emotion—with fear, anger, grief. I want to take a moment and allow you to sit in silence with those emotions. Continue reading →