National Middle Eastern Presbyterian Caucus calls for healing following Atlanta-area shootings
by National Middle Eastern Presbyterian Caucus | Special to Presbyterian News Service
LOUISVILLE — The Rev. Sameh Shaker and Dr. Mirna Wasef, moderator and vice moderator of the National Middle Eastern Presbyterian Caucus, have released this statement on behalf of the caucus about last week’s shootings in the presbyteries of Greater Atlanta and Cherokee:
“Our hearts and prayers go out to the families, friends and communities of the victims of the tragic Atlanta shooting targeting Asian American siblings this past week. The spirit of hate and racism that motivated this attack is one that we firmly stand against. Though our words are not enough to heal the wounds left from this violent crime, we lean on the power of the One who is far greater: our God, our savior, our comforter and our healer.
“‘The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.’ (Ps. 34:18) May we all stand against forces seeking to uphold hate. May we instead turn to the love and peace that surpasses all understanding that is found in God. May we all recognize the beauty that is in the diversity of God’s people and work to reflect this in our churches, our communities, our nation and our world. May we look to Christ as the source of restoration, redemption and reconciliation to be empowered from his sacrificial example of love to create a better life for all God’s people, built on dignity and humanity.
“National Middle Eastern Presbyterian Caucus stands with our siblings Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) against the sin of hate and violence. We stand together as a community of believers created in the diverse image of God against the sins of racism and white supremacy. We encourage our community to stand in solidarity with all our AAPI siblings at this time of fears and terror. May God heal our broken nation.”
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