Beloved Oak Life Community,

These are unprecedented times. The normalcy of our lives has been disrupted because of a world-wide pandemic. It feels like our country lacks direction and leadership. And in the midst of it all, more Black lives have been lost at the hands of police. With everything that’s going on, it’s only natural to wonder - where is God in all of this?

Oak Life, as we grieve the loss of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Manuel Ellis, and countless others who haven’t been publicized, we want to let you know that we stand in solidarity with the Black community and the Black Lives Matter movement. The grief of this moment is another reminder that we live in a divided world that often protects those with privilege and harms those on the margins. May this be an invitation for us as a church to weep with those who weep, to amplify the voices of those on the margins, to raise up voices in our community that speak truth to power, and to become a people who act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God. We believe that this is the role of the Church, of the people that follow Christ, to play a critical role in the efforts of social movements. May we give platforms to voices that have long been ignored and quieted. May we disrupt that status quo and dismantle oppressive systems. May we collaborate in efforts to educate, organize, and move people to action to defend and uplift those on the margins.

As a church, we are committed to this work both within our faith-tradition, our community, and beyond. One of the new action steps we’re taking is to form an advisory committee that will help us mobilize and respond. If you’d like more information on that team, email leadership@oaklifechurch.com. We are also committed to financially partnering with organizations working towards racial justice through our 3rd Sunday giving and more.

Oak Life, we are battling a deep history of white supremacy and structural inequities, meaning that our work has no expiration date. But we already signed up for this fight. The pillars of our purpose is to be a church - a community - of everyday folks who live together, love others, and fight for justice just like Jesus. This is where we find God in this moment. Thank you for being a part of this journey together.

In the words of author, professor, and activist Bell Hooks, may we find that “the transformative power of love is the foundation for all meaningful social change”. Oak Life, let us continue to walk the path of love together.

Amen

The Oak Life Leadership Team