May 28, 2022

 

In my sermon last Sunday, I talked about the mass shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School that took the lives of 6 adults and 20 children, and our country's unwillingness to do something about it. As you know, two days after the sermon, a mass shooting at another elementary school occurred. This time 2 teachers and 19 children were killed at Robb Elementary School in Texas. The weapon that the 18-year-old used in the slaughter is a more effective killing machine that the weapons our soldiers used in Vietnam. It is easier for a person to purchase such a weapon than it is to adopt a cat.

This week, a wise sage reminded me that ancient civilizations used to sacrifice their children in order to appease the gods. "It appears," he said, "that our civilization has not advanced very much from the days of our ancient relatives." Who are the gods that we are appeasing — that we are willing to sacrifice our children for?

The shame of it all is that we can do better. As I stated last Sunday, other countries don't have this problem. I have an English friend who recently retired after having a long career as a bobbie. He is confounded by our lack of gun laws and said he would never be a police officer in the United States. "It is too dangerous!"

There are many things we need to do to make things safer. One thing we need to do is put more emphasis, funds, and resources into our mental health care system. But the most effective and most immediate thing we can do is to have common sense gun laws. Whoever you vote for in elections — no matter what political party — do your homework and find out if the person is willing to sacrifice our children to appease the gods. Do it for the sake of your children, your grandchildren, and for all the children we keep sacrificing in our country every day.

Next Saturday, June 4th, we are collaborating with the Savannah Alliance of Pastors, Red Letter Christians, Moms Demand Action, Full Circle Hospice, and Shane and Katie Claiborne in an event that focuses on what I just wrote about regarding gun violence. The event is called "Beating Guns" and supports gun violence prevention and lifts up the families of gun violence victims. The event will start at 1:00 pm at the First African Baptist Church — one of the oldest black churches in the United States. The keynote speaker will be Rev. Sharon Risher, whose mother and two cousins were murdered during their Bible Sunday at Mother Emanuel Church in Charleston. Nationally known Christian activist and speaker, Shane Claiborne, will also be participating. After the presentation in the church, we will move outside to Franklin Square in front of the church for the rest of the event — which will include testimonies from survivors, music by Huxsie Scott, and the transformation of a gun into a functioning garden tool with the help of blacksmith, Katie Claiborne. The national color for gun violence prevention is ORANGE. If you are able, wear orange at the event. (By the way, we will be selling orange t-shirts for the event after our worship service tomorrow. They are only $10.) 

The very next day, June 5th, Shane Claiborne will be preaching at Asbury. Invite your friends to come hear Shane. It will also be Pentecost Sunday. The traditional color for Pentecost is RED, so we encourage you to wear red next Sunday. Pentecost celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit and the birthday of the church. We will take the opportunity in our service to celebrate our ministries and the work of the church. 

If you are looking for a church home, we'd be honored to have you be part of our faith family. If you would like to know more about how to become a member, see Candace Jenkins after our worship service on Sundays or call or email her during the week.

Since I spoke about gun violence in my sermon last Sunday and in today's email, I will not be talking about it in my sermon tomorrow. But I will be sharing a tool we can use to help us through tough times. My sermon is titled "Night Songs and Open Doors." The text for tomorrow is Acts 16:16-34. 

I hope you will also be at church to lift our country up together in prayer on this Memorial Day weekend.

With Love and Blessings,
Billy