“Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring all who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen.”
Dear Siblings,
A Cross stands at the heart of the Christian story. God died there, bearing the weight of human sin and suffering in divine solidarity with the whole world.
What empire meant as a symbol of terror and control became, in Jesus, a sign of true love and a way of nonviolence. Yet for centuries, rulers and those thirsting for power have twisted it into a tool of coercion and power. We must be clear: the Cross is either the sign of selfless and vulnerable love or a symbol of domination—it cannot be both at the same time.
Today is the 24th anniversary of the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a flight over Pennsylvania. Nearly 2,997 lives were lost. Many of us remember the fear and confusion of that day.
Violence continues to escalate: with political assassinations and attempts, yesterday’s shooting of schoolchildren in Colorado, and the daily rampage of gun deaths across this country. Fear tempts us to look for quick fixes—even for some to justify violence. But nothing of God’s dream or Jesus’ promise can be built on violence. If eliminating people achieves your goal, it is not Christian in any way consistent with the life, witness, and death of Jesus.
But the way of Jesus is not passive. It is not a head in the sand, nor indifference, nor is it all heaven-minded and no earthly good. Rather, it is faithfulness in active, persistent love—working together for his peaceable Kingdom to come to this world through our work and witness.
To this point, the Vestry, mindful of escalating violence, adopted a new gun policy in June. You’ll see it in the Sunday bulletins now and soon posted around the church campus. This statement reflects our call to follow Jesus in nonviolence and our commitment to peace when we gather. The policy is posted below this note, to make sure you have a chance to see it.
There is much more to say, and we will. For now, know I walk this way with you.
In peace,
The Rev. R. Scott Painter, Rector
Email: ScottP@stmaa.org
We firmly believe that guns have no place in church. It is our responsibility as followers of Jesus Christ to promote peace and safety in our communities. The presence of firearms on church property is inconsistent with our baptismal promise to respect the dignity of every human being and the vision of God’s dream for all creation. St. Michael & All Angels does not permit any person, including clergy, staff, clients, students, volunteers, and visitors, to carry a weapon on the premises of any property or facility owned or operated by the church or the Diocese. This prohibition does not apply to certain exceptions as allowed by law.
(Approved by the Vestry, June 2025)
