The death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020 heightened the sense of personal vulnerability and fear of violence in our communities throughout Minnesota. The Minnesota Conference leadership recognizes that with the resulting judgement on April 20, 2021, and the death of Daunte Wright only days earlier, we are continuing to live in emotional, unstable times. We also recognize that thousands in our community are haunted by their own experiences of hate and intimidation. As John said in chapter 14, verse 27, true peace can be found through Jesus: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

As such, we call on our congregations to pray for peace and increased sensitivity as we worship and serve in our communities. As a people, and as the Bible says in Micah 6:8, we call for the practice of equal justice for all. We call our churches to bear witness for Christ and actively participate in value formation, seeking harmony, and intentionality in celebrating our diversity both in and out of the church.  

Now is the time for the Seventh-day Adventist Church to stand up and proclaim the coming kingdom by actively engaging in bridge-building ministries that promote reconciliation between various people groups in our community. We call our church members to engage in dismantling the barriers created by race, ethnicity, and nationality; to stand for justice in our human relationships like the prophet Amos said: “Let justice flow like a stream, and righteousness like a river that never goes dry (Amos 5:25).”