Dear Westwood Church Family,
Our hearts are broken at the violence and terror targeted at the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community at the hands of violent white supremacy. The recent events in Georgia underscore the necessity of holding violent white supremacy to account, and the importance of addressing gun violence, violence against women, and rising violence against the AAPI community in our country. This week’s violence brought anti-Asian racism to all of our attention, but we know the trauma of anti-Asian racism is not new and is often unacknowledged and overlooked in conversations about racism.
On behalf of Westwood Church, we are renewing our commitment to learn about the ways the AAPI community has been targeted, listen to the diverse voices of Asian-American members of our community and congregation, advocate for policies that protect AAPI people and punish white supremacy, and act on behalf of the AAPI community whenever we witness acts of hate and violence.
To the AAPI members of our community, we are so sorry for what you have experienced this year. Those words cannot possibly do justice to the pain you’ve endured, but we are committed to creating a safe place for all people to be able to come and process their pain, celebrate their triumphs, and be accepted for exactly who they are. Events like this remind us of the precious gift that we are able to be in a community as diverse and beautiful as ours, and we will work tirelessly to ensure that we honor and uplift each and every person that calls this community home.
Members of the Church Council on behalf of Westwood United Methodist
* Chair: Kathleen Rodgers
* Vice Chair: Stephen Scherer
* Members: Ann Grasmick, Betty Holden, Don Wellington, Elijah Reynolds, Keith Price, Mari Baldwin, Martin Clajus, Nancy Richardson, Tom Burkhard
* Lay Leaders: Alex Smith, Rachel Gipson, Catherine Fuller, Jo Schiff
Co-Chairs Joshua Edwards and Kathleen Rodgers on behalf of Social Justice Initiative
WUMC Pastoral Staff: Rev. Molly Vetter, Terence Hagans, Rev. Dr. Diana Holbert, and Ryan Dobson
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A Statement from Pastor Molly Vetter
Especially in this season of Lent, we Christians are called to take up the humble posture of confession, and asked to see Christ present in bodies that experience suffering. The rise in anti-Asian violence in our nation, especially over the past year, exposes the present sin of racism and reveals the harm it inflicts on people. Though our United Methodist Church has long affirmed “that all persons are equally valuable in the sight of God, that racism is a rejection of the teachings of Jesus Christ, that we must work toward a world in which each person’s value is respected and nurtured” (Charter for Racial Justice) we have so much work still to do. I am grateful to leaders in our congregation who shaped this important statement, and I encourage you to join us as we commit to care, learning, prayer, and advocacy.
Rev. Molly Vetter
Senior Pastor