Advocacy Committee News

Dear Fellow Congregants of St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church:

As you may recall, last Sunday, Bishop Curry issued a statement about the situation surrounding I.C.E. and the shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis, which Pastor Joe read right before services. You may also know that St. Stephens recently formed a Social Advocacy Committee.

What you may not know is that there has been some recent I.C.E. activity right here in Woodbury and the surrounding area. Also, a local group, Cooper River Indivisible, has been assembling every Sunday at the Ceremonial Courthouse in Woodbury to protest this activity. Several members of our congregation have participated in these individually.

Bishop Curry emphasized in his statement our continuing obligation as Lutherans to welcome the stranger and support justice in our community. At the June 11 meeting of our Advocacy Committee, our members recognized that the weekly Cooper River Indivisible gatherings represent a wonderful opportunity to put our faith into action in a more direct way. We’ve reached out to Cooper River Indivisible to coordinate and join them on Sunday, February 9, immediately after services.

We invite anyone who would like to participate in our efforts to join us after services today or on February 4 for an informal meeting to discuss how to safely and peacefully participate in the assembly on February 9. All are welcome!

The St. Stephen’s Advocacy Committee