Dear {first},
At the time of reading this, some of us may have just wrapped up online learning (congrats!), or seen friends marry or graduate, or have vacation dates marked on our calendar. Although these normal(ish) celebratory summer events are still with us, we are undoubtedly entering a summer unlike any we’ve seen before. What is normally a season of rest, renewal, and a chance to get away, is now marked with uncertainty and anxiety. It’s hard to feel a sense of rest when we consider our world, and the summer ahead of us, and what awaits afterwards. Will schools return? Will I find a job? Much is unknown.
Yet there is also a sense of possibility. This temporary halt to life has forced white Americans to acknowledge the reality of racism, and worldwide protests against injustice have begun to make tangible progress. We’ve seen the removal of racist symbols, legislators create police reform bills, and churches, institutions, and individuals begin to acknowledge white privilege and bias. In our work lives, many of us have a chance to seek direction anew from God in our vocations. And the collective hardship we’ve experienced has led us towards renewed repentance, more fervent prayer, and a chance to share the hope we have in Christ with our neighbor.
And this is still very hard. Much work remains to be done on racial justice, and we are still in the midst of a global pandemic. Many of us are experiencing real grief, whether it’s the loss of a loved one, employment, dreams, or a reexperience of racial trauma. We have limited access to loved ones, coworkers, to our brothers and sisters in Christ, at a time when we need them most.
Even though this summer is so different, we desperately need Sabbath rest and renewed trust in God that he will help us, strengthen us, and lead us as we seek to “do good; seek justice, correct oppression (Isaiah 1:17).” We need resilience to continue to look for work, process loss, and find time to be with God in the midst of this. To this end, we’ve included a list of resources below for the summer that we hope will help you cultivate moments of Sabbath rest, develop resilience, and be equipped to continue on in strength.
We don’t know when Covid-19 or racial injustice will end, but we do know the God who is sovereign over the hope and the pain. We pray that you would find time to be in God’s presence wherever you are this summer, and that time spent with our Father would sustain and embolden you for the journey ahead.
Sincerely,
Laura Rogers
Programs & Communications Manager
Resources for Racial Justice
A Prayer of Lament for this Moment by Jemar Tisby
A List of Theological Works by Black Theologians, Pastors, and Scholars by The Witness
Resources on Systemic Racism & Justice by Apostles Church Brooklyn
The Long History of Racism and Reformed Theology by Jemar Tisby
The Gospel and Ethnic Unity by Shai Linne
Resources for Racial Justice Formation by Living Faith Community Church
Faith & Work Resources for Racial Justice by Redeemer City to City
The Sin of Racism by Tim Keller
Resources for Sabbath Rest
Casting our Cares during the Coronavirus by CJ Quartlbaum
For Weary Friends by Austin Channing Brown
Becoming OK with Anxiety: The Antidote for Fight or Flight by Evelyn Ngeow
Sabbath Keeping Pt 1 and Pt 2 by Rich Villodas
Resilience & Burnout: Sustained Ministry During COVID-19 by Tim Keller
Sabbath in a Time of Unrest by Judith Shulevitz
CFW’s Resources for Sabbath Rest
A Note to Male Readers about The Gotham Fellowship
We have almost finalized our upcoming class but we’re looking for several more men to apply. One of the beautiful things about Gotham is that it affords believers a unique opportunity to form close relationships across gender, industry, ethnicity, and church boundaries. We believe it reflects God’s vision for a flourishing body of Christ that represents all of his creation. Men, we encourage you to apply to this rigorous year of spiritual formation. Apply>
Redeemer Churches & Ministries | 1166 Avenue of the Americas, 16th Fl | New York, NY 10036