A Special Reflection
Rev. Roberto Ochoa, Conference Minister, Iowa Nebraska South Dakota Conferences
Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5 – NSRVUE)
This past weekend (June 14th) in the midst of LGBTQ Pride Month celebrations, “No Kings” demonstrations, and increased presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in many of our small town and urban settings in Iowa Nebraska South Dakota conferences, tragic news of the shooting injuries and deaths of Minnesota state lawmakers has shaken us. Minnesota state representative Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed early Saturday morning by the same person that seriously wounded state senator John Hoffman and his wife, in their homes. A suspect has been identified, and reports are that he had a list of Minnesota lawmakers to be targeted.
Those of us that serve as your ministers and staff of the Iowa Nebraska South Dakota Conferences of the United Church of Christ, condemn these atrocious acts on civil servants who are called to serve their communities for the overall good. Peaceful political, social, and religious discourses are the hallmark of the American experience, and we offer our prayers for the victims and their families, friends and colleagues and population of our neighboring state Minnesota.
We currently are living in turbulent times, and there is so much fear, anger, and despair happening around us. Unprecedented governmental policies and actions are challenging our national understanding of freedoms that we have so taken for granted as a nation. Freedom of speech, right to our own beings and identities, our ability to assist the immigrant and refugee and access to social services seem to be eroding quickly.
As the Conference Minister for the Iowa Nebraska South Dakota conferences, I call upon all our UCC congregations, pastoral leaders, and members to organize gatherings of vigil and prayers for strength and courage to stand for love of neighbor as directed in our faith in Jesus Christ, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.
James 2:14-26 reminds us that prayers without action are meaningless if we don’t actively engage to respond to the needs of the oppressed, marginalized, in physical, emotional, financial, and spiritual need. We are called to be the hope and light so needed in our communities. Advocating for justice, working in food pantries and shelters, visiting the incarcerated, comforting the grieving, inspiring those seeking hope, and offering your time is the most precious gift we can do as disciples of Christ.
The United Church of Christ, as an Open and Affirming, Just Peace denomination is known to strive to be a church that “we may all be one” as Jesus prayed for all of humanity. Many congregations and members of the Iowa Nebraska South Dakota conferences of the UCC are lifting their voices and bodies for a better world…even when afflicted by those that attempt to silence us by sometimes vandalizing our churches. For as the apostle Paul writes “in our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.”
Prayer and Action is the UCC way, and I am proud to be a UCC’er where we believe to covenant that justice for all, means all…and our endurance and character produces hope in the liberating gospel of Jesus Christ.
Let us pray not only for our country, but for the world as well, for the ending of the rising tensions between Iran and Israel, relief for the people in Gaza, the ending of the Ukrainian/Russian war, and other global conflicts.
My prayers remain with you my siblings, sisters and brothers in Christ that we do not lose hope and continue with the mission we are called to do as the beloved Church, together.
Bendiciones y Paz,
Rev Roberto