God of Peace and Justice, Our hearts are hurting as we watch the news, and we struggle to find the right words to pray, as there is so much pain. We pray first and foremost for George Floyd, and for his family. He was your child, and we pray and hope that you hold him in your hand right now. God, as we watch the anger burst forth in the streets around us, we are reminded that Jesus used a whip to turn the tables over in the temple, and at the same time taught his disciples to be peacemakers.  When they came to arrest him in the garden, he told his disciple to put away the sword.  We pray that the violence we see would be replaced by real solutions and changes in both hearts and actions. We pray that somehow we would recognize and change any systems that treat people differently, intentionally or unintentionally, simply because of the color of their skin.  God, because we seek to live and love like Jesus, we pray for Derek Chauvin, and the other officers involved, for they too are your children, no matter what.  We thank you for law enforcement officers who serve and protect us.  Grant them wisdom and discernment to make the difficult decisions they must make each day.  Most of all, God, shows each one of us what we can do so that justice rolls down like water, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. In the name of Jesus the Christ, the prince of peace we pray. Amen.

From the United Methodist Book of Discipline

The United Methodist Church proclaims the value of each person as a unique child of God and commits itself to the healing and wholeness of all persons. The United Methodist Church recognizes that the sin of racism has been destructive to its unity throughout its history. Racism continues to cause painful division and marginalization. The United Methodist Church shall confront and seek to eliminate racism, whether in organizations or in individuals, in every facet of its life and in society at large. The United Methodist Church shall work collaboratively with others to address concerns that threaten the cause of racial justice at all times and in all places.      –The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church 2016, paragraph 5