The Global United Fellowship (GUF) expresses their sympathy and spiritual support for the members of the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME) and the entire AME church community. This despicable tragedy is yet another reminder of the racial pathology that is deeply rooted in our country and still plagues our society.
Bishop Neil C. Ellis, Presiding Bishop of The Global United Fellowship, and Senior Pastor of Mt. Tabor Church in Nassau, Bahamas states, “Our hearts go out to the AME Church, and we pray for their comfort and peace. This violent assault was a cowardly act upon the church and the people of faith. It is indeed a tragic day for our brothers and sisters all over the world.” He adds, “Christian Churches around the world, and particularly the African American church, are a proven and living testament of surviving attack, consequently, we will survive! We will continue to respond to hateful and malicious actions with love and example; this is our responsibility…this is our burden.”
Dr. John Newman, Senior Pastor of The Sanctuary Jacksonville, Florida, Chairman of the Jacksonville Port Authority, and GUF’s Global Director of Social Justice, expressed that “The law enforcement community has the full support of the GUF community as they proceed in the prosecution of the perpetrator of this horrific crime.” Dr. Newman adds, “Our prayers go out to the family of the Reverend Clementa Pinckney, his surviving wife and two beautiful daughters as well as the families of all who were violently slain in this egregious act of inhumanity… their lives will never be the same. We pray for the day when these types of tragedies are a distant memory of a painful and tragic past.”
Judge Glenda Hatchett, star and host of the former self-titled court television show and founding partner of The Hatchett Firm, and Global United Fellowship’s spokesperson for Youth and Family expressed the need for healing, peace and justice, “We are at a critical juncture at this point in the history of America and we must move aggressively to heal a torn nation, to restore peace and guarantee justice for all people.”
Pastor Donte Hickman, Senior Pastor of Southern Baptist Church and GUF’s Global Director for Community and Economic Development states, “African American churches like Mother Emanuel AME have served as sanctuaries of safe and sacred spaces from racialized violence and dehumanization. To enact such a heinous crime on vulnerable and unsuspecting people was painfully reminiscent of a time in America’s history that we felt was over, yet the un-reconciled sins of the past are being manifested through another generation that has succumb to the mental health disorder of racialized violence and hate. Now more than ever the pulpit cannot remain silent about the social injustices and systemic evil that has reared its ugly head at our doorsteps and violated our sacred space.”
Ambassador Suzan Johnson Cook, Faith advisor to two U.S. Presidents, Global United Fellowship Leader of Global Affairs and Huffington Post columnist reminds us of the power of prayer to overcome the forces of evil, “My prayers go out to the Emanuel AME Church, my many brothers, sisters and colleagues in our AME family, and the families and loved ones of those who were killed in this tragedy. Such a heinous act is purely evil. This premeditated murder and the events we’ve seen and experienced in recent months have set race relations back tremendously. Good men and women must continue to fight for what is right, and remain ever cognizant that evil is always present. America calls on our transformational leaders and for all who know the power of prayer, to ‘pray without ceasing.’
We must Pray for Peace and Work for Justice
