The white evangelical church’s relatively more organized response to national tragedies such as Wednesday’s massacre at Emanuel AME Church is noticeable.  The response could have been worse. It has been worse.

One thing I spotted on the Twitters was a link to onechurchliturgy.com. I clicked, anticipating a liturgy that would unite the church in calling out the sins of our culture and center those who are suffering.

It’s a beautifully written liturgy, but when I didn’t see a single reference to race, power, and privilege, I knew we could do better. I sent it out to my girlfriends, and a writer friend Kathy Khang went immediately to work, revising the liturgy to name specific pains and groans.  Here is our revised and hopefully more honest liturgy.

A LAMENT FOR THE TRAGEDY IN CHARLESTON

(appropriate for multicultural and non-black homogeneous congregations)

[Leader]

We stand before you today, oh Lord

Hearts broken, eyes…