Space For Community Mourning, Lament, and Protest
Rev. David Hart, Pastor, Sherman Avenue United Methodist Church, Madison, WI
“He 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
Beloved,
Our hearts are certainly heavy in this season as we grieve the death of Corey Ruiz, who was shot and killed by Madison police. In the wake of this tragedy, the intersection of Williamson and Baldwin Streets has transformed into a sacred space of community mourning, lament, and protest. I have seen many of you down there praying with and caring for our community. I am grateful.
We also pray for Corey’s mother, his thirteen-year-old daughter, his siblings, and everyone who loved him. We acknowledge their pain not just as an abstract headline, or hateful comments under a social media post, but as a deep fracture in the Beloved Community.
As faithful people, we recognize that the Church cannot sit quiet or remain dormant in times of civic heartbreak. Our faith calls us to a multi-layered response. We pray for comfort for a grieving family. We pray for the investigation of this murder and appeal to our Creator that the process will be independent, transparent, and unafraid of where the truth leads. We also pray for our civic leaders, that they find the wisdom and courage to address deep-seated community pain without defensiveness, rather than to use this as a moment for self-aggrandizement.
Additionally, situations like this involving police violence stir up long-held trauma, fear, and anger—particularly within communities of color. Our churches must be sanctuaries where people do not have to carry this heavy weight alone. Sometimes, our most sacred duty is simply to show up and offer our presence.
Finally, true peace is not merely the absence of tension, but the presence of justice. We align with community advocacy groups in demanding absolute transparency throughout the active independent police monitor and state-led investigations. Further, we must actively advocate for community safety models that prioritize mental health support, de-escalation, and harm reduction so that future tragedies are prevented.
Let us not rush past this grief. And let us not grow weary in well-doing. May we walk humbly, extend deep mercy to those who are hurting, and stand firmly in the public square to demand the justice Corey Ruiz and his family deserve.
In Service and Metaphorically yours,
Rev. David Hart
Pastor
Sherman Avenue United Methodist Church
Madison, WI
