George Floyd Memorial (Large)
A mural near the site of George Floyd's murder has become a memorial to him. (Courtesy Photo)

Chauvin Verdict Reactions: ‘Breathe, Pray, Work’

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UPDATED April 22, 2021

United Methodist leaders responded to the conviction of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd with a range of emotions from relief and rejoicing to cautions that the verdict was a first step on a long journey toward dismantling racism in America.

Chauvin was convicted April 20 on two counts of murder and one of manslaughter for killing Floyd by pressing his knee against Floyd’s neck for nine minutes and 29 seconds, asphyxiating him as he lay handcuffed on the pavement. Three other officers who participated in Floyd’s arrest are due to be tried in August on charges of aiding and abetting the killing.

Floyd’s murder set off a wave of national outrage that grew into an international movement protesting both racism and excessive use of force by police. The event also spurred the Council of Bishops to kick off a church-wide initiative, Dismantling Racism, that continues.

The Chauvin trial also emphasized the importance of courageous witness against injustice, as a key piece of evidence was a cellphone video of Floyd’s murder taken by passer-by Darnella Frazier, who was 17 at the time. Historian Heather Cox Richardson, in her daily “Letters from an American” blog post, noted: “If Ms. Frazier had not captured the video, would Chauvin be in prison right now? Between 2013 and 2019, only 1% of killings by police have resulted in criminal charges.”

Here are excerpts from several United Methodist leaders’ statements. Click on the links to read full statements.

Bishops call for dismantling systematic racism in aftermath of George Floyd verdict

The Council of Bishops stands together with all justice-loving people around the world in prayerfully bearing witness to the jury’s decision that convicted former police officer Derek Chauvin of murdering George Floyd.

The racial violence experienced by communities of color has pushed us to think more deeply about how white supremacy functions in our society. We must continue the work of dismantling systemic racism so that the lives of black, Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander and Native American sisters and brothers will no longer be needlessly taken. We are called as people of faith to work for a world in which love, peace and justice reign. It is our hope that United Methodists around the world will take up this work as a continuing commitment of our baptismal vows. 

As we reflect on the importance of this verdict and on our work in the days ahead, we pray for peace in the midst of truth telling, empathy in the midst of grief and action that leads to healing and greater justice for all of God’s children. 

Pastoral Statement from Minnesota Conference Interim Bishop David Bard:“Breathe, Work, Pray”

There is a measure of relief, breathing and sighing, and a profound sadness. No verdict can return a person from the dead. George Floyd is gone from the lives of his family and friends. The verdict represents the ability of a community to hold its law enforcement officers accountable. Such accountability is necessary, and I am heartbroken that such abuse of power and authority still occurs, with deadly consequences.

Good policing matters and is needed. The violence continuing to plague our communities, whether in the all-too-common mass shootings of recent weeks or the uptick in the murder rate in too many of our cities, testifies to the need for high quality law enforcement—law enforcement that works with community leaders to strengthen relationships and build trust. Good policing is accountable policing, and fair policing. Good policing applies the law equitably to every person, no matter who they are or what they look like. Not only was the killing of George Floyd an instance of an abuse of power, it was another instance of inequity in the application of the law, and that inequity is part of broader racial inequities which still mar our common life in American society. The recent killing of Daunte Wright at the hands of law enforcement is another tragic and heart-rending example of both racial inequity and misuse of power. There is much work to be done, and today we breathe a little easier as we witness justice.

Hamline United Methodist Church, Saint Paul, Minn., on Facebook

Our prayers are with the family and loved ones of George Floyd – may they know peace and healing.

In light of this verdict – let us as people of faith doubly commit to work for justice and to stand against the sin of racism. For we know that nothing will bring George Floyd back. Nothing will undo the trauma to his family or to our wider community – especially to our Black friends, family, and colleagues.

Consequences matter, but let us not mistake a verdict for God’s liberative justice. While Derek Chauvin will have consequences for this soul-stealing act, we pray that our community does not mistake this moment as “the conclusion” to a deeply painful and contentious year. The work of justice-seeking is wider than one trial alone; it must be part of our lifelong daily spiritual practice.

Let us journey on with the cloud of prophets and witnesses, knowing that God is before/with/for/beside us now and forevermore.

“Weary Years, Silent Tears” by Bishop Peggy A. Johnson, Philadelphia Area, UMC

Family of God, this has been a very difficult journey for our country in the past year but there have been “weary years and silent tears” for centuries. Many people have not received justice in the past; and racial inequity and violence against people of color has been a painful reality. May we shed some silent tears along with our many brothers and sisters who have been traumatized by racism, unjust systems and brutality. 

As a church, may we pray for our country, that it continues the redemptive journey of racial reckoning. Please hold the family of George Floyd in your prayers for the loss of their loved one.

Pray for peace and justice for all people. Provide patient, supportive, loving community for those who have been wounded and traumatized by hate. This is not fully a moment of jubilation for all, but more a sigh of relief and deep exhaustion.

Take responsibility to do the things that you can personally do that will help make positive changes in our world. Restorative Justice is a practice, a way of living, and not a verdict in one particular trial. The church can teach this and model this. 

Bishop LaTrelle Easterling, Baltimore-Washington Conference, told Religion News Service:

“Although the justice system has worked, there is still a family in pain over the unnecessary loss of their loved one. This is not a moment for celebration; it’s a time for reflection for all those involved in the death of George Floyd and all that unfolded in those nine minutes and 29 seconds last May, which prompted the largest movement for human rights in our nation’s history. It is a time for reflection on why justice is still elusive for far too many.

“The verdicts provide greater assurance for all Americans that life, regardless of ethnicity, is sacred, equal, and worthy. It bolsters the truth that each child of God inherently possesses rights that must be respected by everyone, including by those sworn to serve and protect our communities.”

“Lean on Christ,” Bishop Laurie Haller, Iowa Conference

The tragic, racially charged, and unnecessary death of Floyd at the hands of four Minneapolis police officers is only one flare-up of the racial pandemic. Last week we heard of the death of Daunte Wright as the result of gunfire from a police officer in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. The list of Black lives who have been needlessly killed grows each day. The pervasive culture of racism and white supremacy, increasingly incited by political rhetoric, grows each day. The fear among parents of Black children grows each day. The flaunting of our laws against racial profiling and discrimination grows each day. How do we respond? 

We love God. We love God as we study the scriptures, offer praise to God, confess our sins, return thanks for our blessings, and walk humbly.  

We love our neighbor. We cannot love God whom we have never seen if we do not love our neighbor whom we have seen (I John 4). Love of neighbor is allowing the other person to tell the story of their suffering and trauma. Love of neighbor means pursuing justice, as systems and structures harm individuals.  

I call all upon all United Methodists to claim our witness as Wesleyan Christians to stand against such hateful violence. … My profound hope is that our response to this verdict will be lived out in our common life and work in our churches and the larger community in ways that reflect the reconciling love of Christ.

Foundry UMC Pastoral Statement: Accountability is Welcome in Trial of Derek Chauvin, Work for Justice Remains

Today a verdict of guilty on all charges has been reached in the trial of an ex-police officer for the murder of George Floyd. We acknowledge this moment of accountability, but lament that it can feel like the exception and not the rule. We know that violent interactions with police continue to be a daily reality for Black and brown siblings, and not all of them end with officers being held to account. We long for a day when accountability is not newsworthy, but standard. More than this, we long for a day when traffic stops and interactions with police don’t result in the murders of Black and brown bodies. 

Just as the technology of cell phone video meant the world could see the brutal murder of George Floyd and bystanders trying to intervene, 24-hour news and social media means the verdict is now known the world over. 

While the justice system seeks to bring accountability, true justice for George Floyd and others will only come with a change in policing and implementation of anti-racist policies and practices in the U.S. There are not just “a few bad apples.” These incidents are not isolated. The U.S. needs a shift of heart and policies.

To white members of our community: We must do our work to affect this shift. We must use our voice, our privilege, our power, and our actions to amplify Black and brown voices. We must listen to the voices, words, and stories of the ancestors calling for justice yesterday, and also do our part to enact these visions of justice for tomorrow. Do not lay this work upon our siblings of color. Instead let it infuse your every vote, your every step, your every breath lest we hear once more, “I can’t breathe.”

In this Easter season, the resurrection spirit of George Floyd is alive and calling us to continue to care, to do justice, to love our neighbor, and to build the beloved community where no more backs will ever be against the wall. May we work together in this ongoing call and recommit to our Journey to Racial Justice. And may God’s guidance and strength lead us forward until that day when justice will roll down like water and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. 

United Methodist Women CEO Harriett Jane Olson issued a statement:

“We are relieved to see some measure of justice for George Floyd’s family. At the same time, we believe such a basic measure of police accountability should not be exceptional or extraordinary. To make true progress and ensure that people of color, especially Black people, are safe from a culture of policing that too often victimizes them, there must be a transformation  in how law enforcement engages communities of color. This must happen from coast to coast, regardless of whether it is a high profile or little known case of officer-involved shootings. As people of faith, we celebrate even as we continue our advocacy work. May justice roll down like waters, today and in days to come.”

Northern Illinois Conference

NIC Interim Bishop John Hopkins said the guilty verdict is a crucial step towards rebuilding trust in our democratic system of justice that is celebrated around the world.

"Although justice has been served, my heart goes out to George Floyd’s family, as they will never have him back. We hope the knowledge that his death sparked an anti-racism movement with a demand for police reform may give them some solace," said Hopkins who recognized ongoing efforts in Northern Illinois calling for prayers for a fair trial and demanding more accountability for abuse of force by authorities.

"Even as the Chauvin trial was taking place, we grieved the news of a Minnesota police officer fatally shooting 20-year-old Daunte Wright during a traffic stop and a Chicago police officer shooting and killing 13-year-old Adam Toledo in an alley near one of our United Methodist churches in the Little Village neighborhood," said Hopkins. "Dignity and respect for all people will take more than one verdict. As people of faith, we persist in hope even when the road is long and the journey is hard. The journey is easier when we invite others to join us along the way."

Statement from Northern Illinois Conference Anti-Racism Task Force: April 20, 2021

With the conviction of former police officer Derek Chauvin in the murder of George Floyd, some are saying that justice has been served. Indeed it is right that a guilty verdict was rendered where there was indisputable evidence of a crime. But as Christians who know that the word justice means more than punishment, our hearts are heavy because no conviction would have been able to bring back beloved Black child of God, George Floyd.

The most common word pairing in the Hebrew Bible is “justice and righteousness,” reminding us that justice does not stand alone; God calls us to create a world where all people are treated with dignity, respect, equality, and love. There is still much work to be done to build love for neighbor into our systems and we lift up the modern-day prophets who have long been calling us to live out justice and righteousness in concrete ways.

Yet, this is still a moment of sorrow and grief because we remember the life of George Floyd who was murdered before he had an opportunity to do all God was calling him to do in this life, just as too many people of color have been. We grieve because this kind of accountability of racist violence of a former police officer is still so rare. We grieve because we have too often witnessed our systems fail and give in to the demons of white supremacy.

May our grief give way to meaningful action, that we would create a world in which the words of the prophet Amos would be fulfilled: “Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”

Bishop Bob Hoshibata, Desert Southwest Conference

We pray in memory of George Floyd and for his family and loved ones. The horror of his death haunts us. As the video of his dying moments has been played and viewed over and over, each time I see it, I am horrified that such harm could be done by one human upon another human. Both humans were created by God, loved by God, and yet, we ask ourselves, “Where was God at that moment, as George Floyd was struggling for his life?” Habakkuk’s lament echoes: “How long shall I cry to you ‘Violence!’ and you will not save?”

We pray for Derek Chauvin. Why? we may ask. Simply because he is a child of God beloved by God. What was in Mr. Chauvin’s heart during those infamous 9 minutes? Where was God in those moments that Derek Chauvin engaged in harm that ultimately took the life of George Floyd? Why didn’t God intervene when the bystanders were prevented from stopping the cruelty being inflicted? How many times must we cry out to God, “Violence!” and God will not intercede and stop the violence?

We pray for the community and the world. The verdict certainly offers a glimmer of hope. With this outcome, we give thanks that there is hope. And yet, since George Floyd’s murder, and even while the trial was in progress, violence continues against black women and men. How Long, O Lord, will this continue unabated?

This is the work we are all called to: to be agents of healing and hope in a world broken by violence, death, and hatred. On one hand, we should be supporting measures that seek to do away with the societal conditions that lead to crime. On the other hand, we must also continue to advocate for bettering the relationship between law enforcement and the community at large. 

There is still much work to do to bring forth accountability in harmful systems. We need to continue to push for transformation in our communities, churches, families, and in our individual lives; transformation that works to put an end to all killings of people of color so that justice is a reality for people who have never experienced it.

Cynthia B. Astle serves as Editor of United Methodist Insight, which she founded in 2011.