
"Not everything is lost. Responsibility cannot be lost, it can only be abdicated. If one refuses abdication, one begins again." —James Baldwin
In the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Trinity Excelsior has committed itself anew to the long and enduring ministry of racial justice, freedom, and reconciliation by way of the dismantling of systemic racism entrenched in all aspects of our society and communities.
We come to this work as Christians, as Episcopalians, and as disciples of Jesus Christ. We come to this work as a faith community that embodies different views, experiences, perceptions, and histories - as white people and as people of color. We are different, yet we are united in our baptism, through our values and beliefs, and in our love and affection for each other.
At the heart of who we are, and what we believe, are the promises we make at baptism: that we will spend our whole lives striving “to seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbors as ourselves…” and “for justice and peace among all people…and respect[ing] the dignity of every human being.” These are our foundational promises - to each other and to God. We “make good” on these vows when we understand them as requiring a life-long pursuit, our life’s joyful work and purpose.
The Episcopal Church’s Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry, is calling on us, the “Episcopal Branch of the Jesus Movement,” to focus our work of racial justice and reconciliation through learning, prayer, and action. It’s an evolving process, not about one-off conferences, trainings, and box-checking. It’s a holy process of transformation, about learning “new ways,” walking more and more closely with Jesus, and changing the course of our lives through discovery, repentance, and justice.
At Trinity we will walk this path together with grace and tenacity. Along the way it might be tempting to feel overwhelmed, confused, hurt, scared, uncomfortable, or unsure of where to start anew. But start anew we will, and we are. Let us begin.
Minnetonka Equitable Education Initiative
The Vestry has approved a Statement in Support of the Minnetonka Coalition for Equitable Education which will be presented to the Minnetonka School Board on November 19th.
See the letter here.