Dear Pastor,
What happened on Sunday?
Across social media, in Zoom rooms, and hushed conversations, parishioners share their disappointment with what feels like a lack of empathy from their churches. While there has been an attempt to be relevant with messages like “We shall overcome,” “Have faith in God,” and “God is still on the throne,” followed by calls for resistance and action, what about my loss? What about acknowledging our deep sense of loss and uncertainty right now? What about the grief that weighs heavily on us in this moment?
Please don’t push us out of our collective grief. Grief is uncomfortable, even messy, but it is also natural and necessary in the face of profound loss. We needed our houses of worship to guide us in processing this pain and grappling with its heavy implications. We needed you to lead us in the sacred practice of lament.
I understand you want us to hold onto our faith and remain strong. But please know: experiencing fear and grief doesn’t mean we have lost our faith, nor does it signify weakness. It means we are standing fully in our humanity, connected to our emotions, and refusing to bypass our pain with spiritual platitudes.
Let me acknowledge that not every church or pastor missed this moment—some led beautifully and with great sensitivity, and we are profoundly grateful for that. Thank you to those who recognized the need for deep empathy and reflection.
But for those who may not have fully grasped the gravity of what we needed, know that Sunday is coming again. Will you be ready?
Shalom,
Gina
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