• Who We Are
    • Who We Are
    • Mission
    • History
    • General Synod
    • Leadership and Ministry
    • Staff
    • United Church of Christ Board
  • What We Believe
    • What We Believe
    • Worship Ways
    • Daily Devotional
  • What We Do
    • What We Do
    • Office of the General Minister & President
    • Justice & Local Church Ministries
    • Wider Church Ministries
  • News
  • Church Finder
  • Donate Now
  • Search
UCC Logo United Church of Christ
  • Church Finder
  • Events
  • Contact
  • Store
  • Frontline Faith Portal
  • Donate Now
  • Search
  • Who We Are
    • Column
      • About
        • Mission
        • Constitution and Bylaws
        • History
          • UCC Archives
        • UCC Brand Guidelines
        • General Synod
          • Synod 33 Worship Videos
          • Past General Synods
        • Abuse Prevention
    • Column
      • Structure
        • Conferences
        • Affiliated Ministries
          • The Pension Boards
          • Cornerstone Fund
          • Insurance Board
          • The Council for Health and Human Services Ministries
          • Church Building & Loan Fund
          • Convergence
    • Column
      • Team
        • Elected Officers
        • Staff
        • United Church of Christ Board
          • Board Minutes
        • Office of General Counsel
        • UCCOSSN
    • Column
      • Career Opportunities
      • Annual Reports
  • What We Believe
    • Column
      • Worship
        • Statement of Faith of the United Church of Christ – La Declaración de Fe de la Iglesia Unida de Cristo
        • Worship Ways
        • Daily Devotional
        • Sermon Seeds
  • How We Serve
    • Column
      • Office of the General Minister & President
        • Welcome to Human Resources
          • Employee Relations Resources
        • Center for Analytics, Research & Development and Data (CARDD)
          • General CARDD FAQs
          • About The Center for Analytics, Research & Development, and Data (CARDD)
          • Authorized Minister Opt Out
          • Access UCC
          • Archived Reports
          • Assessment Resources
          • Information Policies and Requests
          • Faith Communities Today (FACT) Survey
          • MissionInsite
          • Statistics and Reports
          • Vital Signs and Statistics Blog
          • Data Hub FAQs
          • Data Hub
          • Yearbook and Directory
    • Column
      • Justice & Local Church Ministries
        • Justice
          • Faithful Action Ministries
            • Environmental Justice Ministries
            • Economic Justice
            • Racial Justice
          • Office of Public Policy & Advocacy in Washington D.C.
            • Justice and Peace Action Network
            • Our Faith Our Vote
            • Justice Training Resources
            • Action Center
          • Health and Wholeness Advocacy
            • Disabilities and Mental Health Justice
            • Encuentros Latinx
            • UCC HIV & AIDS Network-UCAN
            • LGBTQ Ministries
            • Our Whole Lives
            • Overdose and Drug Use Ministries
            • Scouting
            • Wellness Ministries
          • The Pilgrim Press & Stillspeaking Publications
    • Column
      • Justice & Local Church Ministries
        • Local Church
          • The Faith Education, Innovation and Formation (Faith INFO)Team
            • Weekly Seeds
            • Youth & Young Adults
          • Worship Resources
            • Worship Ways
            • Sermon Seeds
            • Synod 33 Worship Videos
            • Music and Liturgical Arts
          • Stewardship & Generosity Resources
          • Ministerial Excellence, Support & Authorization (MESA)
            • History, Polity, and Theology
            • Search and Call
            • Ministerial Profiles
            • Ministry Opportunities
            • Manual on Ministry
    • Column
      • Wider Church Ministries
        • Global Ministries
        • Global H.O.P.E.
          • Volunteer Ministries
          • Refugee and Migration Ministries
          • Disaster Ministries
          • Recovering Hope
        • Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations
  • Resources
  • News
    • Column
      • News
        • United Church of Christ News
    • Column
      • Columns
        • Witness for Justice
        • Into the Mystic
        • Getting to the Root of It
        • The Pollinator: UCC Environmental Justice Blog
        • UCC Roots
        • Encounters at the Well
        • Reflexiones
    • Column
      • Upcoming Events
        • Webinars
      • Subscriptions at the United Church of Christ
      • Changes & Deaths
  • Giving
    • Column
      • Donate Now
      • Ways to Give
        • Giving Tuesday
        • General Synod 2021 Thursday in Black Offering
        • General Synod 2021 Racial Justice Offering
        • Disaster Ministries: How to Give
        • Our Church’s Wider Mission
          • Our Church’s Wider Mission Basic Support
          • Strengthen the Church
          • One Great Hour of Sharing
          • Neighbors in Need
          • Christmas Fund
          • 5 for 5
    • Column
      • Ways We Give
        • Scholarships & Grants

  • Home
  • News
  • United Church of Christ News
  • UCC minister: This moment is a movement about public safety

UCC minister: This moment is a movement about public safety

by Lawrence Richardson | published on Mar 8, 2021

Jury selection in the trial of the ex-police officer charged in the death of George Floyd begins this week in Minneapolis as Congress works to pass the police reform bill named for Floyd.

As the trial for Derek Chauvin begins, I join others from Minneapolis at events each day to hold space, pray with and for, and bear witness to the pain and hope in our city. On Sunday, March 7, I dressed in black and headed to a peaceful, impactful and prayerful demonstration at the Hennepin County Government Center, the “I Can’t Breathe” Silent March for Justice. Clergy and religious leaders were invited to wear vestments. The general public was invited to bring signs and flowers. 

The Rev. Lawrence Richardson (left) with other pallbearers

After the event opened with prayer and a call to action, the growing crowd was invited to march. I volunteered to be a pallbearer for a casket symbolizing those unjustly killed by police. At the front of the march was a sign that read, “I Can’t Breathe,” followed by a white casket covered in a mass of red roses and rose petals. That casket was flanked by a scroll that listed the 405 names of individuals killed by Minneapolis police since 2000. Hundreds more peaceful demonstrators marched in the streets behind us.

The Rev. Curtiss DeYoung, Executive Director of the Minnesota Council of Churches, speaks to the crowd.

At the conclusion of the two-mile procession, we reassembled at the Hennepin County Government Center for closing prayers, remarks and calls to action by community leaders. In a sea of people, the pain and hope in our city were palpable. The pain of a people traumatized by the unjust killing of George Floyd and tired of a reality in which advocating for the worth of black and brown bodies is necessary. Hope was also evident in the eyes and prayers of the people and I saw a glimpse of what the kin-dom of God can look like. 

People of diverse ages, stages, skin colors, faith traditions, and political affiliations gathered together. We were there for so much more than justice. We were also there for peace. As I stood, my hands and shoulders tired from carrying the symbolic casket, John 14:27 came to mind. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.”

The energy from those gathered was the energy of a people united and unafraid, a people who know that this moment is a movement larger than ourselves. This moment is a movement about public safety. Policing is an important aspect of public safety. For the greatest good to be served, we must hold police officers accountable to keep the peace and punish those whose excessive use of force takes life or in any way jeopardizes the well-being of society.

The Rev. Lawrence Richardson and Minnesota Conference Minister, the Rev. Shari Prestemon

Countless UCC clergy and ecumenical faith leaders were present. Our Minnesota Conference Minister, the Rev. Shari Prestemon, was also in attendance. At the conclusion of the event, I asked my partner, James Triplett, to take a picture of the two of us. For me, this time of prayer, the march around the government center, the pained-yet-hopeful energy of people, and this picture with my conference minister taken by my partner are all reminders of what is possible when we believe. 

I believe in a society that values all people equally. I believe in a society with policing that keeps us safe. I believe in a society where we can come together for the well-being of our people and our land. I believe in a society where we are the church everywhere we go.

The Rev. Lawrence T. Richardson is the pastor of Linden Hills Congregational UCC, Minneapolis. 

Categories: United Church of Christ News

Get the UCC in your inbox!

Sign up for the weekly UCC News Digest

Privacy Policy
 
 

Related News

United Church of Christ News

UCC leaders lament death of Tyre Nichols with release of fatal police beating video

The United Church of Christ National Officers and the Conference Minister of the Missouri...

Read More
United Church of Christ News

UCC delegation heads to Europe to track Ukraine response

The United Church of Christ has collected almost $3 million through an emergency appeal for...

Read More
United Church of Christ News

‘Weeping where there was once dancing’: UCC churches lament California shootings

When Montebello Plymouth Congregational Church, UCC gathered for worship on Sunday, attendees...

Read More
  • Column
    • Local Church and Conference Resource Directory
    • Mission
    • Justice & Local Church Ministries
    • General Synod Resolutions
  • Column
    • Contact
    • News
    • Store

Content on ucc.org is copyrighted by the National Setting of the United Church of Christ and may be only shared according to the guidelines outlined here.

1300 E. 9th Street, Suite 1100
Cleveland, Ohio 44114

  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Twitter
  • Follow us on Instagram
  • Subscribe on YouTube

Donate Now


UCC Crest
© United Church of Christ 2023. Privacy Policy.
Crafted by Cornershop Creative