To the Editor:

Luke 10:25–28: Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.”

As followers of Jesus Christ, we believe with all our hearts that when Jesus told us to love our neighbors as ourselves, he did not intend us to include some and leave others by the side of the road.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we confess that neither we nor the churches we represent have always lived up to Jesus’ call.  We confess that too often the challenges facing black people, native people, people of color, poor people, people without power are invisible to us.  We confess that all too often we get distracted by arguments which keep us from realities we want to believe are not there.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we dedicate ourselves anew to open our eyes, to see the realities of our world for all God’s people, and to become active in making the changes needed.  

We would, like the Good Samaritan, bind up the wounds of the broken and help healing happen.  And so, we call on our friends and neighbors here in the Wareham area to join us in this effort.  We invite you to join us in ongoing prayer, conversation and study, that we might be more faithful followers of Jesus Christ who advocate for the least, the lost and those who suffer at the hands of injustice.

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.”

The Rev. Dr. Virginia H. Child, Interim Pastor, First Congregational Church, UCC, Wareham, MA

Rev. Edwin M. (Mac) Smith, Sr. Pastor, Bay Community Alliance Church, Buzzards Bay, MA

The Rev. Virginia Doran, Pastor, Wesley UMC Wareham, Ma. 

The Rev. Dan Bernier, Pastor, The Church of the Good Shepherd, Wareham, MA  

Rev. Jeffrey J. Gray, Pastor, Emmanuel Church of the Nazarene

The Rev. Sharon Powers, Deacon, The Church of the Good Shepherd, Wareham, MA