LUBBOCK, Texas — Lubbock area pastors issued a brief statement “in unity” concerning the murder of George Floyd on May 25 in Minneapolis.
Police officer Derek Chauvin held his knee down on Floyd’s neck for a little less than 10 minutes. Floyd died. Chauvin has been arrested and was charged with murder. On Tuesday, officials announced that Three other officers — Thomas Lane, J. Kueng and Tou Thao — were charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.
Protests in Lubbock have been largely peaceful. Lubbock Police Chief Floyd Mitchell joined the 100 Black Men of West Texas in a silent walk to remember George and others who died as the result of police brutality.
The following is the statement from African-American Pastors.
Lubbock Area African American Pastors’ Response to Murder of Mr. George Floyd
Over the course of the last several days, we have been overwhelmed by the tragic and vivid video footage of the final moments of Mr. George Floyd’s life. With dismay, we listened to him beg for mercy and plead for help and relief. Our hearts blead and were over flooded with sorrow as he cried out for his mother and sputtered out the names of other loved ones.
The senseless disregard and inhumane actions of the former Minneapolis police officers that ended in Mr. Floyd’s death have caused a reverberation and ripple effect across this country, and indeed around the globe. Although Lubbock is 1,135 miles away from Minneapolis, we too are impacted.
It is an unfortunate reality that incidents such as this brings harm to the very principles upon which America purports to stand. It diminishes and denigrates the constitutional premise of liberty and justice for all. It severs the ideals and hope of equality, peace, unity and the pursuit of happiness.
Although there is no condoning of detrimental looting and other destructive behaviors, it is understandable that many are angry and are seeking resolve. It is time to move beyond anger to peaceful and productive action. We must put aside divisive political posturing and unite under a common cause. Courage and commitment is required, if change is to be experienced. Our existence and the future of our nation depend on it.
Individually none of us can eradicate the prevalence of hatred, bigotry, prejudice and racism from the world, yet each of us can do our part to ensure that these vile cancers do not fester within us. We can hold those who violate basic human and civil rights accountable. Collaboratively, we can work to ensure that fairness, decency, and respect for all, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, country of origin and other differences are the American standard.
This must be a unified effort. We call upon every pastor and religious leader within the local
faith community to join us in meaningful and constructive dialogue that will lead to actions
toward true progress. Our unity will foster a shared commitment towards a greater value of all
lives.
We pray for the family and friends of Mr. Floyd. We pray for justice. We pray for peace. We
pray for unity. We pray for America.
In Unity,
Superintendent Joseph Dickerson
Living Word Church
Pastor Jimmy Doss
New Generation Community Church
Superintendent Johnny Evans
Evans Chapel Church of God in Christ (Morton)
Dr. S.E. Fields
St. John Baptist Church
Pastor R. Foster
Unity Baptist Church
Pastor A. Quron Hairston
Emmanuel Church of God in Christ (Plainview)
Pastor Charles Hankson
Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church (Lorenzo)
Superintendent W. David Haynes
Christ Temple Church of God in Christ
Pastor Michael & Lady Cathy Hudson
New Life House of Praise (Brownfield)
Pastor Billy D. Huey
Faith Deliverance Church Without Walls
Superintendent Rufus Hunter
Prayer House Church of God in Christ (Lamesa)
Rev. Kenneth Jackson
New Light Baptist Church
Overseer J. Jerome Johnson, Sr.
New Jerusalem Baptist Church (Plainview)
Pastor J. Jerome Johnson, Jr.
Mount Gilead Baptist Church
Pastor Ben Alexander
Holy Temple Church of God of Christ (Levelland)
Overseer Don Armstead
DWA Foreign Missions
Pastor Deshun Avery
First Progressive Baptist Church
Rev. Adana Bean
Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church
Pastor W.R. Bolton, Jr.
Bethel Baptist Church (Abernathy)
Pastor Larry Brooks
Community Baptist Church
Pastor Kenneth Burns
Divine Love Baptist Church
Superintendent Ruben Caro
Tree of Life Church of God in Christ
Bishop Leonard Chatham
Full Armor Ministries
Pastor Jermaine L. Cleaveland
St. John Baptist Church (Lamesa)
Pastor Daryl Collins
Agape Temple Church of God in Christ
Pastor J.T. Cotton
One Way Church of God in Christ
Rev. Hiawatha Culver, Jr.
Rising Star Baptist Church
Apostle Mark Culver
Word of Truth Christian Fellowship
Pastor W.D. Davis
Lyons Chapel Baptist Church
Pastor Justin Lawrence
Faith First House of Hope
Pastor Kennith Lawrence, Sr.
Dominion Holy Ghost Deliverance Tabernacle
Pastor Billy Moore
Greater Works Church of God in Christ
Superintendent Chris Moore
Victory in Praise Christian Fellowship
Pastor/Teacher G. Moore
Pleasant Groove Baptist Church (Tahoka)
Pastor Tyrone Moore
True Identity Fellowship
Pastor C.C. Peoples
Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church (Slaton)
Pastor Cory S. Powell
New Dimensions Tabernacle
Pastor Vernon Rose
Greater St. James Baptist Church
Pastor Glenn Samuels
New Millennium Baptist Church
Pastor Michael Session
Trinity Church of God in Christ (Levelland)
Pastor Larry Slaughter
Mt. Calvary Baptist Church
Pastor Venus Smitherman
Greater St. Mark Baptist Church
Pastor Ray Travenia
St. John Baptist Church (Littlefield)
Pastor Alfred Washington
Resurrected Zoe Life Ministries
Bishop William H. Watson, III
Texas Northwest Jurisdiction Church of God
Alexander Chapel Church of God in Christ
Pastor R. Well
New Zion Baptist Church
Pastor Michael White, II
Pilgrim Baptist Church
Pastor L.V. Witherspoon
Mt. Zion Baptist Church (New Home)
