April 24, 2026
Dear Church,
A few weeks ago, many of us gathered on the lawn of the state capitol as part of the Palm Sunday Path. We sang, we prayed, and we proclaimed a public witness of the gospel, affirming that our Christian faith calls us to love our neighbors through healing the sick, feeding the hungry, and welcoming the stranger.
As part of that event, there were invitations to further action – as we often talk about at Grace’s Public Faith Team meetings, we are on a long road to repair and reconciliation, even if hearts of stone were turned to love tomorrow. So while the Palm Sunday Path event was a culmination of many months of prayer and planning, it is not the end of the road as we live out God’s love in the world.
One of the invitations that resonated with me was taking part in a 24-hour prayer vigil at Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC). HCMC is facing a funding crisis, due in part to federal changes to Medicaid, insurance closures, and their steadfast commitment to serving all in need, whether or not they carry insurance. HCMC is one of the largest teaching hospitals in the state, and serves people beyond Hennepin County - so a closure would ripple through the entire state. I know many in this congregation have received care at HCMC at some point in their lives, and I have stayed with my doctor there despite moving to St. Paul!
I will be at the prayer vigil from 1:00-4:00p on Thursday, April 30th and warmly invite you to attend as well if this action and issue resonates with your spirit. You can sign-up here.
May we each discern the ways we are called to continue to proclaim God’s love through our words, our actions, and our hopes.
In Christ,
Pastor Reed
Every Friday, we send an email to the congregation and any others who would like to learn more about the Grace community. The last four Friday emails are posted below.