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Your Eminence, Your Graces, all clergy, Brothers and Sisters, receive fraternal greetings in the Name of the Risen Lord Jesus Christ. Accept the apology of the General Secretary Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit. We are grateful to the leadership of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America for hosting this Ecumenical gathering event. Our commendation also goes to the NCC –USA member communions for embarking on the critical Truth and Racial Justice Initiative.
We bring you greetings and have come to accompany you in commemorating the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr. since his assassination that ended his life and dream for a better country prematurely. We come as the ecumenical fellowship of churches, to share the recollection of your painful and tragic history as well as be part of your hopes for a country free of racism. But more importantly, we are here to affirm our commitment to the church and people of United States of America that you are not alone in the struggle to repent, confess, end the SIN of Racism and be reconciled; (as one humanity in the household of our creator God). Indeed we come to assure you that the WCC is revitalizing its work on confronting Racism and there is new energy for seeking and working for justice and peace; enhanced commitment and strategies for acting together to secure and build communities, nations, churches and a world that is free of racism and xenophobia.
As we commemorate the life of Martin Luther King Jr.; we in Africa are remembering the life of Winnie Mandela who fought against apartheid for the most part of her life.
Once again, we acknowledge that as church, we are called upon to deal theologically with our past in order to break the vicious cycle of superiority, white supremacy and domination. As WCC we continue to name racism as a SIN and a negation of the Holy Scriptures and the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ who commands us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. As pilgrims on the journey towards abundant and peaceful life for all, we repent of our conformity, of our collaboration with the powers and forces of death, and of our failure to live up to our calling as transforming disciples of Jesus Christ.
Please accept our greetings as we invite you to join other pilgrims of Justice and Peace in celebrating the WCC 70th anniversary; a historical moment in our journey of faith, as we affirm once again that Racism is a SIN and it has no space in our midst. May our pilgrimage of Justice and Peace together remind us that “We are unworthy servants, we have only done our duty” ((Luke 17.10b) as we ACT Now and Unite to End RACISM.
God bless you!