Can the violence just stop? Lord, hear our prayers.

I come to this Minute of Justice with a heavy heart. Violence continues to ripple through our communities — locally, nationally, globally. And in these moments, I am more convinced than ever that voices of justice must be lifted up and heard.

Which is why I am grateful that our church, Resurrection, a United Methodist Church, has officially adopted a Statement of Belonging. It is our public commitment to the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging — and it is rooted not in politics, but in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Part of our Statement of Belonging reads: We recognize and celebrate that each individual is of sacred worth, created in the image of God and belongs here.

This is what we call Imago Dei. Every person — every human being — carries the image of God. And because of that, we belong to each other.

I love the passage in 1 Peter that I think of as the identification card for followers of Jesus: “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people.” Once we were not a people. Now we are God’s people.

That changes everything about how we see one another.

If we belong to God, we belong with each other. If Christ is present wherever two or more are gathered, then wherever the church gathers — all belong there.

This is not easy work. Recognizing the sacred worth of every person, especially those who are different from us, requires intention and humility and grace. But we are not doing this alone. God’s spirit is with us.

Let us not just recognize that each person is a child of God. Let us celebrate it.

Each of us belongs at God’s table. Each of us.

Amen and amen.