Central/Southern Illinois Synod
MENUMENU
  • About
    • Synod Staff
    • Synod Council
    • Synod Map by Conference
  • Communications
    • Events
    • Synod Assembly
  • Contact Us
Find A Congregation
Donate
MENUMENU
  • Congregations
        • Administration Resources
          • Constitutions
            • Synod Constitution (2018)
            • 2022 Model Constitution Congregations (PDF)
            • 2022 Model Constitution Congregations (Word)
            • 2022 Amendments to the Model Constitution for Congregations
            • ELCA Guide for Use Model Constitutions Congregations
            • ELCA Intro Model Constitution Congregations
            • How to Update Congregational Constitutions
          • Employment
            • Information on Hiring Employees
            • Preventing Sexual Misconduct in Congregations
            • Writing a Job Description
          • Insurance
            • Church Property Loss
            • Disaster Preparation
          • Records Management
            • Archiving in Congregations
            • Records Retention
            • Disposition of Records
            • Maintaining Parish Register
          • Risk Management Information
            • Security Procedures
        • Call Process & Interim Ministry
        • Calling Forth New Ministers
        • Compensation Guidelines
          • 2023 Compensation Guidelines
          • 2022 Compensation Guidelines
        • Faithful INNOVATION
        • Food for the Journey
        • Growing Younger
        • Guide For Holy Closure
        • Invite the Bishop
        • Mission Support
        • Occasional Services
          • Liturgy at the Departure of a Pastor
          • Disposal of Deteriorating Bibles
        • Portico Benefit Services
        • Pulpit Supply
        • Sister Congregations
        • Social Ministry, Justice, And Advocacy Grants
          • SMJA Grant Proposal
          • SMJA Grant Letter
        • Stewardship
        • Video Sermons
  • Faith Formation
        • Adult Faith Formation
        • Children and Youth
          • Leadership Lab
          • ELCA Youth Ministry Network
          • Ministry Links Online
          • Lutheran Outdoor Ministries
        • Dwelling in the Word
        • ELCA Colleges
        • Synod Campus Ministries
        • The Generosity Project
  • Pastors & Deacons
        • Am I Called?
        • Annual Reports
          • Request for Annual Reports
          • Word and Sacrament
          • Word and Service
          • Synod-Authorized Ministry
        • Fall Theological Conference
        • Interim Ministers
          • Interim Minister's Quarterly Report
          • Interim Ministry Gathering Presentation
        • Resources for Pastors and Deacons
          • Boundaries Workshop Resources
          • Compensation Guidelines
            • 2023 Compensation Guidelines
            • 2022 Compensation Guidelines
          • Clergy Housing Allowance
          • Wellness & Renewal Grants
  • Synod Ministries
        • C/SIS Mission Support
        • C/SIS Women of the ELCA
        • Lutheran Men in Mission
        • Lutheran Outdoor Ministries
        • Lutheran Social Services of Illinois
        • Women of the ELCA
  • Racial Justice
  • Bishop’s Reflections
A Statement by the C/SIS of the ELCA in Response to the Killing of George Floyd

A Statement by the C/SIS of the ELCA in Response to the Killing of George Floyd

A Statement of the Synod Council of the Central/Southern Illinois Synod of the Evangelical  Lutheran Church in America in response to the Brutal and Unjust Killing of George Floyd Adopted June 6, 2020

“[The LORD] has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”
(Micah 6:8, NRSV)

In response to the brutal and unjust killing of George Floyd on May 25, 2020 and in response to the ongoing racial injustice that infects our nation, the Synod Council of the Central/Southern Illinois Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America,

  • Stands united in condemning the killing of George Floyd, together with all acts of injustice against our sisters and brothers of color;
  • Stands united in identifying racism as a sin both against God and against our neighbors;
  • Stands united in confessing our own participation in racist systems and structures, both by what we have done and by what we have left undone, and in asking for God’s forgiveness;
  • Stands united in rejecting all forms of violence against people and property as a faithful means of protest;
  • Stands united in prayerful support of law enforcement officials and their families across our synod, giving thanks for their faithful and courageous service during these difficult times, even as we hold to account those law enforcement officials and agencies across our nation that continue to perpetrate unjust acts against persons of color;
  • Stands united in denouncing systemic bias in our judicial system, including delayed arrests and indictments in civil rights cases, especially cases of police brutality, and the mass incarceration of people of color;
  • Stands united in the conviction that, as people of faith, our words must always lead beyond our words to real and positive actions (see 1 John 3:18) in confronting the evils of racism and injustice wherever they exist;
  • Stands united in our commitment to call on all expressions of our synod, including the congregations of our synod, to seek positive ways to work toward racial justice in our church, in our communities, and in our nation;
  • Stands united in our commitment to seek intentional opportunities to listen deeply to persons of color in and across our synod, as well as to those in and across our synod with whom we disagree, learning from one another how to be advocates for change and agents of reconciliation in the name of Christ;
  • Stands united in our commitment to encourage all expressions of our synod, including the congregations of our synod, to cultivate relationships with persons and agencies in our communities already engaged in the work of racial justice;
  • Stands united in our commitment to call upon local, state, and national governments and their elected leaders to support legislation that brings about real and lasting change toward racial justice for all God’s people;
  • Stands united in our commitment to lift up the Racial Justice resources of both the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (www.elca.org) and our Central/Southern Illinois Synod (www.csis-elca.org) as helpful tools for engaging in constructive conversation around these issues;
  • Stands united in our commitment to develop an anti-racism working group in our synod to hold us accountable in living out the commitments stated above; developing and/or lifting up resources for anti-racism training, education, and advocacy across our synod; and seeking ways to engage our synod in positive action toward systemic change.
Central/Southern Illinois Synod
Quick Links
  • About
  • For Congregations
  • Communications
  • Contact Us
  • Pastors And Deacons
  • Newsletter
  • Synod Ministries
Contact Us
  • (217) 753-7915
  • 524 South Fifth Street Springfield, IL 62701
  • synodoffice@csis-elca.org
© Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy |
Web Design 309