Good morning…
I notice a little moonlight shining through the slots in the shutters to grace our bedroom wall. Quietly, I move into another room, turning on a light in the midst of this dark night. I revisit a letter forwarded to me this week by a dear, dear friend. The ministerial staff at the First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta shared the following words of encouragement, centering wisdom entitled A Pastoral Letter for Such a Time as This.
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Brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things…do them, and the God of peace will be with you (Philippians 4:8-9).
Dear Members and Friends,
The deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis have left many in our community and across the nation unsettled, sorrowful, and unsure of how to respond. These tragic deaths come alongside heightened efforts from the federal government to enforce immigration laws, efforts that stir a wide range of emotions both within our congregation and beyond it. Some among us feel grief and urgency. Others feel anger or fear. Some carry a deep conviction about the most vulnerable among us, while others carry a deep conviction about the rule of law. Many hold a complicated mixture of all these things at once.
As your ministerial staff, we are not writing to draw our congregation into the partisan certainties that so often dominate the national conversation. Our calling is to partner with you, to seek the Spirit’s wisdom, and to do all we can to stay faithful to our shared vocation of humbly following Jesus Christ in times like these.
We want to speak, for a moment, to those among us who feel compelled to march, to post, and to raise their voices. Your desire for justice comes from a good and holy place. It springs from compassion and from a heart that refuses to look away when fellow human beings have been demonized, marginalized, and even killed. As you speak and act, we encourage you to take on the posture that Dr. King taught, a posture of nonviolence, of truth spoken with love, and of moral courage. This is not a weakening of conviction but a deepening of it. It calls you to advocate without dehumanizing, to seek justice without assuming the worst of every law enforcement officer or politician, to name wrongdoing without surrendering to the pull of contempt. This is the difficult spiritual work of letting love refine anger rather than letting anger erode love.
We also want to speak to those who believe strongly in the importance of enforcing our immigration laws. Your concern for safety, order, and the common good reflects a legitimate vision of justice. There is nothing un-Christian about wanting social systems to function fairly and predictably. Even so, as we uphold the importance of law, we are also called to insist that the processes by which laws are enforced honor the dignity of every person involved. We can support lawful enforcement while still advocating for restraint, accountability, compassion for families, and a recognition that every individual—regardless of status—bears God’s image. Christians can uphold the rule of law without abandoning the rule of love, and we can call for accountability in our systems while remaining committed to the flourishing of those who are most vulnerable.
What unites us is the conviction that every person touched by this moment is a human being created and loved by God. That truth must steady us. And it also compels us to say, without hesitation or partisan intent, that when injustice occurs, the Church must name it plainly. No amount of political spin, activist pressure, or media narrative can excuse the taking of a human life, the distortion of truth, or the violation of a person’s dignity. Followers of Jesus are called to stand for what is right even when others attempt to blur the lines. Naming wrongdoing is not divisive; it is faithful. It anchors us in what is true, honorable, just, and commendable. And that truth must guard us from sliding into quick and easy narratives that flatten people into enemies. It must help us resist the loud voices that demand we choose sides so sharply that we forget the complexity and beauty of the human beings on the other side of the conversation.
In the days ahead, we encourage you to stay rooted in the nonviolent love of Christ. Let your words be courageous without becoming cruel. Let your convictions be strong without becoming rigid. Let your hope be expansive enough to hold both justice and mercy. Resist the temptation to caricature those with whom you disagree. Seek to understand before insisting on being understood. And trust that Christ is not distant from moments of unrest but is present in the very places where sorrow and longing meet.
This moment offers our congregation a rare opportunity, to show that Christian community can hold complexity without fracturing, can speak truth without hatred, and can pursue justice without abandoning love. Our prayer is that we will rise to that calling together, with tenderness for one another and with confidence that the peace of Christ is already at work among us, turning us toward what is right and true and life-giving.
For those wishing to explore action steps and ways to be more intentionally involved in bearing witness to the peace of Christ in these times, we warmly invite you to meet with one of us. Don’t hesitate to reach out. If you would like to process this with a therapist or spiritual director, please reach out to Katie Sundermeier at ksundermeier@samaritanatlanta.org or directly to inquiry@samaritanatlanta.org to schedule an appointment.
In Faith, Hope, and Love,
Rev. Dr. Tony Sundermeier
Rev. Dr. Barry Gaeddert
Rev. Rob Sparks
Rev. Saranell Hartman
Rev. Lauren Tucker
Mr. Ben Fletcher, M.Div.
Mrs. Katie Covington
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Might we all “think about these things” as Philippians suggests?
As we “do them”, the God of peace will be with us.
Amen. May it be so.
…Sue…
