Rev. Barbara Prose shared the following message with church staff recently. Being busy with PRIDE festivities as the staff liaison to the LGBTQ+ team, it wasn’t until later that I read her words. I asked permission to share to our wider congregation simply because it acknowledged what I have been, and am increasingly feeling … and I imagine many of you are feeling the weight of it all too. Also, her email names and addresses some of the direct issues connected with our church. I felt it was important to share these connections so we may have a shared understanding of what is happening within and around our community. This was originally written before the news from the Supreme Court overturning ROE V. WADE… another heavy blow. Wear GREEN on Sunday, July 3 to services for Barbara’s message, We Dissent.
The week’s events are weighing heavily upon us.
A few weeks ago, there was a news conference outlining the lawsuit that member Ladonna Paris’ attorney brought against the Tulsa Police Department (TPD) because of the treatment she incurred from officers of the Department while she was experiencing a mental health crisis.
Another press conference, supported by our affiliate minister Carlton Pearson, was held for Tyler Unique McClain, who is connected to our community by way of her mother Talisha. Tyler’s attorney was reporting a planned lawsuit against the Sebastian County Police Department and the Greenwood Police Department out of Arkansas because of the treatment she received there after having an automobile accident.
In addition, it was reported that a 13-year-old LGBTQ advocate associated with our church spoke at the Tulsa Public School meeting, receiving threatening and denigrating language from adult attendees, to the point that the meeting had to be adjourned.
Many of us are also anxiously awaiting several impactful Supreme Court decisions that will likely be released soon.
An injustice to one is an injustice to all
These are all challenging events connected to our church community. The accumulation of such events can carry with them heavy emotional tolls and may challenge our core beliefs, values, and ordinary ways of coping. We believe as did Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who said, “An injustice to one is an injustice to all.” As result, many of us may be experiencing the trauma suffered by these individuals as our own trauma.
In times of distress and turmoil, we can feel certain that we are each an essential part of a community that cares. Please feel free to reach out to a minister should the need arise to talk about what you’re experiencing as a result of the seemingly constant, troubling news.
With love beyond belief, The Ministry Team
One way our members can connect with a minister or seek Spiritually-centered care is via the Care Team & our many Pastoral Care Teams. All Souls members have access to pastoral care 24/7 from our Care Team every day of the year. Members can reach the Care Team Hotline number by calling 918.724.TEAM (8326) or emailing careteam@allsoulschurch.org.
More from Rev. Prose about her July 3 sermon: In these extraordinary and urgent times, we declare that we dissent. Please join me this Sunday morning for a compassionate conversation about abortion and an urgent call to protect and strengthen our democracy. Voices of people in Oklahoma must be heard across our nation as we share what it’s like to live in a theocratic state, as we insist on the importance of the separation between church and state, and as we share our understanding of a God who always stands on the side of freedom and equality. I invite you to wear the color green, a color representing hope and health, in solidarity with women worldwide – a GREEN WAVE – of women and men who are successfully legalizing safe access to abortion care in countries including Argentina, Colombia, Mexico and more.
