We Carry the Memory of Empire

July 2025

Beloveds,

There are times when the work of ministry is to soothe, and there are times when it is to speak with clarity and courage. This is one of those times.

In recent days, we have watched with heavy hearts as the United States launched a military attack on Iran. The justifications are thin. And the consequences—already echoing around the world with rising fear in communities across the globe.

Let me say clearly and unequivocally: This attack is an act of violence, imperialism, and disregard for human life. As people of faith and conscience, we denounce it.

War is not the path to peace. It never has been. True safety is not born from domination but from justice. And justice cannot be achieved through bombs, sanctions, or the silencing of sovereign peoples.

As BIPOC people in the United States – many of us descendants of the colonized, the displaced, and the militarized – we carry the memory of what empire does to bodies, to families, to land. We know what it means to be treated as collateral. And so we are called, again, to remember: Our liberation is tied to the liberation of all people.

I also want to speak to your spirit. These are overwhelming days. You may feel grief, confusion, rage, or numbness. You may be worried for loved ones overseas. You may be worried for yourself. Know this: Whatever you are carrying is welcome here. You are not alone.

The Mountaintop exists to hold one another through the storm. We will continue to gather, to grieve, to resist, and to dream together. We will ground ourselves in our values – love, dignity, peace, and justice – not because it is easy, but because it is faithful.

This July, even as fireworks fill the skies of a nation that too often confuses power with righteousness, we will light different flames:

The flame of solidarity.
The flame of memory.
The flame of fierce and unrelenting love.

We will continue to show up, to speak out, to pray with our hands, feet and our hearts. Because we believe another world is possible—and necessary.

With deep love,

AJ
Pastor AJ Blackwood
Community Minister
The Mountain Top: A UU BIPOC

Office:  720-336-0910
Office:  714-699-3313 (direct/text)

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