Advocacy and Civil Disobedience Resources

Dear Siblings and Leaders of Denver Presbytery Communities of Faith,

I am writing in response to the many questions and concerns some of you  have shared you have been wrestling with while watching the news in recent weeks.

Many of you, have been taking in the events unfolding in our country and our world. Several of you have asked, “What do I preach on?” How do I call out injustice? Where has the moral integrity of our country gone?  My answer remains unchanged: preach the gospel of love—even when it challenges, stirs the waters, or causes discomfort. And I also hold to my heart the words of Saint Francis, “and if necessary use words.” We spent many months exploring that love is not that warm touchy feeling, or just getting along and saying nothing.  It is the love in each of us that is angry, or grieving, or desperate for something to change.  It is the love in each of us that knows and calls out when and where love is not.

As we continue leaning into Matthew 25, we must consider what it means to live what we proclaim. We are witnessing rising acts of racism, intimidation, ICE activity in sacred and communal spaces, harm done to people we know and love, and murder on the streets. Many are asking: What have we become?

Scripture calls us to love, to center the marginalized, and to practice deep hospitality. So where can we make a difference? And what does faithful leadership look like at this moment?

These resources are not meant to prescribe action or set expectations. They are here to support your discernment as you navigate preaching, pastoral care, interpretation, and leadership within your communities. This is a beginning—not a comprehensive guide, but an invitation to explore, reflect, and prepare.
Some leaders, including the Episcopal bishop of New Hampshire, have encouraged clergy to be informed and prepared as they discern their actions, including any risks associated with civil disobedience. I echo the encouragement to make wise, faithful, and well‑informed decisions. I do believe we can cry out injustice without becoming the very hate we are condemning, ourselves.  

We also hope to create an email group for those who want updates on actions, events, and shared resources. If this would serve you, please fill out this form to be placed on our email list.  We can share immediate and direct information around resources, events, information.

We do not want to overwhelm anyone; too much information can stop some even before we begin. What we are offering here are the most essential starting resources, and we will add to them as supportive materials become available.
My heart breaks as we see echoes of painful moments in our history—times when fear and racism led to violence, harm, and the tearing apart of communities. And yet I am also holding the image of our Buddhist siblings, who walk gently and compassionately, showing us that we all belong to God.  In their very presence through each city, they are impacting and rippling out love and compassion through thousands of people. Jesus calls us to love God and love one another. Paul reminds us that love tells the truth, seeks no harm, and does not celebrate wrongdoing. We are being asked to search to the core of our souls what is being a faithful witness to the Gospel of love and what that looks like, how do we live that  in today’s world.  

I want to be clear: these resources are offered to support you as you lead. Not everyone will be interested, and that’s okay—but for those discerning how to faithfully respond right now, I hope these tools will be helpful.

God help us.  Be safe.  

Keep your hearts open to the wide expressions of love.