Moment of Lament Invitation

2019 marks the 400th commemoration of enslaved Africans arriving in the American colonies. This historical event has been in the public discourse for almost a year now, including widespread coverage in the media. On November 17th, churches across Metro Richmond will come together during our regular Sunday services to remember the past, recognize how it has affected our present, and to respond in prayer for God to heal us and heal our land.

What we are doing

In lament, we cry out to God in sorrow and grief, we ask for help, and we respond with trust and praise. Lament is present throughout the scriptures but so often we neglect this means of grace. We are asking each church to set aside 5-10 minutes on Nov. 17th to engage in corporate lament during regular Sunday services.

Why it’s important

Simply put, we care because God cares. As the Church, we are called to rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn. As our state and nation marks the 400th anniversary, so too should the Church at Richmond. Lament also encourages empathy, prayer and action in the people in our congregations.

Why we’re doing it together

Corporate lament demonstrates a clear concern for the suffering of our neighbors, even if we believe that the matter at hand does not directly impact us. It also helps us model the oneness that Christ prayers for before his death in John 17.

Why you should adapt it to your congregation

We will provide you with a text of lament based on the structures found in the Psalms that is being written by For Richmond’s leaders. However, we recognize that our unity in this moment does not mean we need to be uniform in our lament. This template can be adapted so that it meets the unique needs of your church. Lament can take various forms – liturgy, poetry, spoken word, etc.

What we are providing

We will also provide historical background, a short video you can use to introduce the time of lament, a song selection from Richmond’s own Urban Doxology, and links to further resources.

Church leaders, click here to access all the resources we’ve created and to register your participation.