Pastoral Letter Concerning Los Angeles and the Surrounding Area

Beloved Disciples,

Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Our hearts are heavy this week as we watch the events unfolding in Los Angeles and surrounding cities. Across the area, we have heard the righteous cries of peaceful protesters echoing through the streets—lamenting injustice, demanding accountability, and lifting up a vision of beloved community where all can flourish in safety and dignity.

We’ve heard stories from local pastors of helicopters hovering over neighborhoods, a local labor leader arrested and detained, and communities coming together for the greater good. Disciple ministers are providing pastoral care on the streets, marching, and caring for their communities to de-escalate the desires of a few who wish to direct their pain in a violent fashion. They’ve joined other religious leaders in calling for the community to cry out in dignity, peace, and nonviolent resistance rooted in hope.

And now, once again, the streets are filled not only with voices calling for justice, but also with the presence of militarized force—National Guard troops and the threat of federal intervention, introduced not to listen, but to silence. As people of faith, we must ask: What does the Lord require of us now?

We must not look away.
We must not fall silent.
We must not grow weary in doing what is right.

As Disciples of Christ, we affirm that every person bears the image of God. We proclaim that peace is not the absence of conflict, but the presence of justice. And we remember that Jesus himself turned toward the hurting, stood with the marginalized, and spoke truth in the face of empire.

So, what are we called to do?

We are called to stand with those who protest peacefully—not because protest is comfortable, but because it is holy. Because in a world where people are still killed, detained, and disregarded because of the color of their skin or the zip code of their birth, protest is often the only voice justice has left.

We are called to be peacemakers—not peacekeepers. There is a difference. Peacekeepers maintain the status quo. Peacemakers disrupt systems of violence and oppression to bring about something new. Jesus did not come to preserve what was; he came to turn the world upside down so that God’s justice could be made real.

We are called to pray—but not only to pray. Prayer is essential. But our prayer must become movement. Our movement must be rooted in love. And our love must be courageous enough to take a stand.

Let us show up for our siblings in Los Angeles and the surrounding area, and in every place where voices are being stifled and fear is being used to drown out truth. Let us use our pulpits, our platforms, our presence in the streets, and our power in the public square to say: This is not who we are. And this is not what God calls us to be.

To our congregations in Los Angeles: we see you. We are praying with you and for you. And we pledge to stand alongside you in the ongoing work of justice, healing, and transformation.

To Disciples within and beyond the Pacific Southwest Region: thank you for your support, care, and prayers.

May the Spirit guide us with courage.
May Christ be our example and strength.
And may we never forget: Love is still the most powerful force in the world.

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

Rev. April Johnson 
Executive Director 
Reconciliation Ministry