2.7.24 FUMC Announcements

Letter in support of our Jewish Neighbors
February 4, 2025
 

To Our Jewish Neighbors and Friends,
 

We, the undersigned clergy of United Methodist Churches in Northwest Arkansas, write to you with heavy hearts but unwavering resolve in the wake of the hateful and antisemitic propaganda that has recently circulated in our community. On January 30th a member of one of our congregations made us aware of flyers that have been distributed around NWA, flyers that perpetuate the worst kind of stereotypes and misinformation. We are grieved and outraged by this act of bigotry, and we stand in steadfast solidarity with you.

Hatred in any form is a direct affront to the sacred worth of all people. The targeting of the Jewish community with lies and fearmongering is not only reprehensible but also antithetical to the teachings of love, justice, and peace that we seek to embody as followers of Christ. As Christian leaders, we unequivocally reject any misuse of scripture to justify antisemitism or white supremacy. Such distortions are dangerous, sinful, and wholly inconsistent with the life and ministry of Jesus, who himself was a Jewish man.

In truth, anyone can find a single biblical passage and then twist it to be used to justify their own perspective. Removing a verse from the context of its whole narrative, as well as its historical context, perpetuates the worst kind of misrepresentation. However, we acknowledge that Jesus does, in very brief terms, summarize the whole of the biblical witness in proclaiming that the Greatest Commandment is to love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and the second commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:36-40; Luke 10:25-37; Mark 12:28-34). When Jesus affirmed this truth, he had in mind the Jewish scriptures. The Christian Scripture, which recounts these conversations, would not exist in written form until decades after Jesus’ resurrection; they do, however, continue to fulfill the Greatest Commandments.

Further, we recognize in the Gospel of Luke account, after Jesus affirmed the truth of the Greatest Commandments, a legal expert asked for clarification. “And who is my neighbor?” he asked. Jesus answered by telling the story of the Good Samaritan. He purposefully lifted up a story of two people who could be considered enemies. Their people were divided by long-held historical trauma and disdain. Yet one helped the other, despite those divisions. It is a reminder that we are all neighbors, and all called to love and care for one another. So we will stand on those words, and commit ourselves to loving all our neighbors, be they Jewish or Muslim, Israeli or Palestinian, immigrant or native, or any of the other identities that this world seeks to divide us from. God is for all and loves all. We affirm that truth and commit to loving you, our neighbors.

Please know that you are not alone. We see you, we value you, and we will not be silent in the face of this injustice. We commit to speaking out against antisemitism, to educating our congregations about the realities of hate, and to fostering deeper relationships of understanding and mutual support within our communities.

If there are ways in which we can be present for you, support you, or work together for the well-being of all in our region, we are eager to do so. We pray for healing, strength, and the triumph of love over hate.

With deep respect and solidarity,

Rev. James Kjorlaug
Rev. Dr. Michelle Morris
Rev. Dr. T. Ray Wheeler
Rev. Jennie McCain Williams
Rev. Ron Hayes
Rev. Judy Hall
Rev. Alyssa Kuebler
Rev. Brenda Wideman