We write with urgent concern in care for Downey Memorial Christian Church in Los Angeles and the surrounding community. Yesterday, unidentified men in masks, plain clothes, and arms visited their church property and removed a pedestrian without explanation or documentation. When the men were invited to leave the church property, they responded by securing a weapon that was pointed at the pastor. 1 Corinthians 12:26 reminds us, “If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.” We are committed to sharing the limitless love of God from our doorsteps to the ends of the earth, even when fear and intimidation visits our doorsteps, and confusion challenges our ministries.
How do we share together in the limitless love that connects us in our suffering and calls us beyond it?
1. We can share God’s covenant of love by lifting up Downey Memorial Christian Church in
our prayers. The congregation would welcome words of encouragement, support, and our prayers for these challenging times. You may direct your email to: admin@downeymemorial.org.
2. If you live in the Los Angeles area, please consider showing up for them by being present in worship with them this Sunday, June 15 at 10:30am pacific time.
3. We can overcome fear and intimidation by clearing up misinformation and confusion. Please note and amplify the message that was shared by Pastor Lopez if you encounter misinformation:
“Today was a very emotional day. A couple of our Pastors and other
community members witnessed a man being detained and taken away by men that were masked and armed. They wore vests that said “Police”, but they refused to identify themselves. Our concern was for the man’s well-being. We don’t know if they were ICE agents or from any other law enforcement agency; the Downey Police Department confirmed they were not their officers.
As with any politically charged event, it’s very easy for misinformation and exaggerations to run rampant. To clarify:
1. The individual was a community member that was simply walking through our
parking lot and had no connections to the church.
2. Pastor Tanya was not pushed or shoved.
3. There was no altercation or obstruction; we wanted to ensure the individual was aware of his rights and encouraged other witnesses to document as much as possible.
We ask for civility as the news of this event continues to be shared and ask that people see past the emotions that drive us away from being able to see others as fully human and worthy of dignity. Let’s take the time to listen to one another and try to find shared values and ideas as people that care deeply for our communities and our country.”
We are Disciples of Christ, a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world. Our pastoral concern is for the well-being and wholeness of our congregations and communities, the integrity of our connections, and the ethics of care that impact our neighbors and our whole world. Our covenantal concern is about moving towards wholeness together as we do the difficult work of being the body of Christ in challenging times not about partisan politics. Disciples are Christians with a variety of political perspectives including conservative, progressive, republican, democrat, independent, and others.
Let’s care for Downey Memorial Christian Church and recommit ourselves to being the church we say we are especially in times like these.
Moving towards wholeness together,
Rev. Terri Hord Owens, General Minister and President,
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada
Rev. Richie Sanchez, Regional Minister and President,
Pacific Southwest Region
