Dear Church,
Today marks the 24th anniversary of 9.11 and our world seems no less chaotic. On August 22nd, Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska was stabbed on a train in Charlotte. Yesterday morning, the Polish Air Force was mobilized to shoot down Russian drones that had entered their sovereign air space. And, yesterday afternoon, 31-year-old conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot on a college campus.
I walk this fine line as a pastor of being aware of the news without reacting to every headline while also remaining sensitive to how certain events impact us, our families and our church as a whole.
Can I urge us this morning to pray and even mourn? There are times when the real evil in this world and the sorrow and suffering it brings really hits home. We’re always called to pray, but sometimes we are compelled to pray with a special earnestness when we see what we see in our world.
May we be the peacemakers that Christ calls us to be and may the peace of Christ reign in our hearts through faith.
Know that I’m here if you ever need anything.
Eric