February 21, 2025
Dear Church,
In times of uncertainty and instability, we are called to be love. In times of fear and worry, we are called to be grace. In times of unrest and change, we are called to be responsive. And we are living through all those things right now – uncertainty, fear, and change. It is perhaps more acute than any of us have lived through before, but a core part of the human experience is change – today, we are different than yesterday. And so we can only go forward, as we turn always towards God, who delights in our becoming and our existence.
In line with our Christ-centered values of welcome and hospitality, your pastors and staff have been paying attention to what has changed for churches with some of the recent national executive orders. Prior to this administration, sensitive spaces like hospitals, schools, and churches were places of refuge from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which has only been in existence since 2003. That has now changed. Those spaces are no longer considered spaces of refuge by ICE.
What has not changed is that we are doing what we can to ensure spaces of refuge and care remain for those in our community – our congregation, our preschool, the LINK, and our neighbors. Following synod recommendations (you can read the full document here), we have added signage designating some of the areas of our building as private space. This reflects how they’re already being used – many of our office rooms do require a verified reason or invitation to enter. By visually designating these spaces as private, we are creating a barrier in the case of a warrantless raid. ICE cannot enter private space without a signed judicial warrant, or without a warrant that names a specific individual.
We pray fervently that these signs are never tested, and that compassion and care re-enter the public discourse in a meaningful way. We are co-creators of how the world is – may we live out Christ’s love, and through that love, inspire others to do the same.
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.