We know many of you have been praying fervently for Westlawn Youth Network (WYN), our neighborhood and our church, Westlawn Gospel Chapel!
We are so grateful for your support during the upheaval caused by the Coronavirus. Our WYN staff continues to connect with our youth and their families regularly through Zoom gatherings. The weekly Neighborhood Bible Study and our Neighborhood prayer time, every Tuesday and Thursday mornings, are still going strong via Zoom. Even our 11am Sunday Zoom church service has been powerful and life giving as we meet to pray with each other, share communion and hear what God is speaking to us in the midst of a world turned upside down. We even have former members who now live out of state joining us for some of these gatherings!
These past two weeks we have also been focusing on speaking into and speaking up about the murder of George Floyd. We know that this is not one isolated incident but an example of the unjust system of racism that has plagued this country since its founding. WYN’s Urban Institute has been challenging visiting groups of high school, college, church and Ministry leaders about racism, poverty and classism for 30 years. We believe that this is not a “social justice” message but a Gospel Message.
When Jesus stood in the synagogue in Nazareth to announce the beginning of His earthly ministry, He opened the scroll to the book of Isaiah and read; “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim GOOD NEWS to the poor, He has sent me to proclaim FREEDOM for the prisoners and recovery of SIGHT for the blind, to set the oppressed FREE, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor”.
We have received texts and phone calls these past two weeks from people who have expressed their gratitude for the way they were challenged regarding these issues while participating in either one of WYN’s Urban Immersion Trips, or working as a summer intern for Camp Champ WYN’s summer day camp, or listening to Derrick and Mark speak at a Church or University Chapel service.
In the midst of our current darkness our message and work seem even more urgent and prophetic. THANK YOU for standing with us in this work!
PRAY FOR US as we are given more opportunities to speak into this current situation. PRAY WITH US for comfort and justice for George Floyd’s family. And remember what God requires of us…to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God!
Derrick and Mark
