Listen to Pastor Phil and Dr. Richardson’s Story
“We bear witness to the need for every American to understand that the isolation and divisiveness of white supremacy is the way of death for all people, and particularly for the most marginalized among us.”
- Pastor Phil Woodson
Leaders of Congregate Charlottesville during the LOVE OVER FEAR multifaith church service at First United Methodist Church.
“This is what our community looks like!”
August 27, 2017, at 9:00 PM
Interview Transcript
Phil Woodson
My name is Phil Woodson, and on August 26, 2017, I was the associate pastor for outreach and witness at First United Methodist Church, which is the church you see pictured here. This is our sanctuary.
Jeanita Richardson
My name is Reverend Dr. Jeanita Richardson, and I'm the one in front of Dr. Barber with the intense face. I was part of the service as one of the clergy involved in the prayerful preparation for the Alt-Right dissent on our community.
Phil Woodson
And in front of that grand mural of the transfiguration, the leaders and members of Congregate Charlottesville offered a worship service called “Love Over Fear.”
Jeanita Richardson
From my vantage point on that day, I saw a sea of people who, before A12 would not have gathered side by side seeking healing and camaraderie in a Episcopalian church, though it was prompted by horrific events. It felt a bit like a glimpse of what heaven could be.
Phil Woodson
And then we shared a letter. [reading from the letter] “Dear friends and faith across the United States, will you commit to counteract the narrative an agenda of white supremacy? In the aftermath of multiple deaths? We bear witness to the need for every American to understand that the isolation and divisiveness of white supremacy is the way of death for all people, and particularly for the most marginalized among us.”
Jeanita Richardson
To stand with my friends from varied faith traditions was humbling and affirming. It's amazing what can be accomplished if we embrace our differences as strengths for good.
Phil Woodson
[reading from the letter] “Black Lives Matter. Queer lives matter. Indigenous lives matter. Differently abled lives matter. Refugee lives matter. Jewish Lives Matter. Hispanic and Latin. Next Lives Matter. Trans Lives Matter. Muslim Lives Matter. Immigrant Lives Matter.”
Jeanita Richardson
The definition of community really expanded in the days before and after the summer of 817. Resources of time, expertize, money and supplies flowed from virtually every sector to prepare for and heal from those days. Community was no longer my tiny little circle, but rather people of goodwill who cared deeply about justice.
Phil Woodson
[reading from the letter] “As we said to the violent hate mongers who pushed us to the ground and cast us outside Emancipation Park: love has already won. We know by faith that love wins even when we cannot see it. And we have committed ourselves to trust, love over fear. Let it be so. Amen.”
Music credit: Alan Ellis / A New Tomorrow / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com