Lamenting the Tragic Deaths in Minneapolis and Affirming the Dignity of Our NeighborsWe, the Session of Fort King Presbyterian Church in Ocala, Florida, hear this call in Scripture: *
- ‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt.” (Leviticus 19:33-34)
- “What does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)
- “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in….Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:35, 40)
- “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength…Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:30-31)
Our faith tradition arises from peoples who endured slavery, exile, conquest, and genocide. Scripture consistently calls us to recognize our shared humanity and to live lives shaped by justice, mercy, and humility.
The mission of Fort King Presbyterian Church reflects this call, as we seek to build a loving community that works for justice, loves mercy, and walks humbly with God. As a Matthew 25 congregation, we are committed to dismantling structural racism and eradicating systemic poverty. We also affirm that we welcome all people, regardless of age, race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, economic status, or ability.
With heavy hearts, we mourn the tragic deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Renee was an active member of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), a wife, a mother, and a neighbor whose life was cut short on the streets of Minneapolis. Alex was an ICU nurse who was peacefully filming ICE agents moments before he was shot multiple times after being taken to the ground. Our hearts also break for those in the immigrant community who are being terrorized and traumatized. As a community of faith, we cannot remain silent when violence shatters peace and the inherent dignity of any human being is disregarded.
We affirm that those who commit crimes, on all sides, must be held to account under the due process of law, and we support the need for a just and humane immigration system. Yet we join the chorus of Christian voices who are forcefully speaking out to condemn the mistreatment of our immigrant brothers and sisters.
We unequivocally condemn the culture of violence that has led to death, fear, and trauma among our communities. Regardless of legal complexities, the loss of life—particularly on neighborhood streets — signals a profound failure of the peace we are called to uphold.
We stand in solidarity with our nonviolent immigrant brothers and sisters. Scripture reminds us that every person is made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27) and deserves dignity and respect. We are commanded to not mistreat the foreigner, but to love them as ourselves (Leviticus 19:33–34).
We call for accountability and peace. We affirm the constitutional rights to free speech and peaceful assembly, with the solemn reminder that acts of protest must never become acts of harm. We urge a full and transparent investigation into these shootings, and an end to policies and practices that dehumanize individuals or place vulnerable communities at risk.
As followers of Christ, we commit ourselves to being a people and place of hope and a voice for the voiceless. We will continue to pray for justice, for healing of our nation, and for a day when we and all our neighbors can live without fear.
Endorsed by the Session of Fort King Presbyterian Church on January 26, 2026.
*Scripture wording taken from New International Version translation of the Holy Bible (NIV).
