致华人教友的公开信

AN OPEN LETTER TO OUR CHINESE MEMBERS
Dearly Beloved in the Lord Jesus Christ,
There have been several reports in the news of recent months concerning violence, insults, and hateful speech directed at Asian people living in our country. A few weeks ago, there was a gathering of community leaders in Hacienda Heights addressing the issue of anti-Asian incidents within our own community. This deeply saddens me as an American, the son and grandson of immigrants, and as a long-time resident of our Hacienda Heights community.
Hateful speech and violent actions directed against any person because of their nationality, ethnicity, or race have no place in our society. I am deeply sorrowful that some people have turned their hatred toward you, our Chinese friends, and neighbors. I pray that none of you has experienced this personally. But please know that we stand together with you as neighbors, and we will stand up for you. You are a welcome part of our community and contribute much to our life together. We will not allow prejudice and bigotry to drive a wedge between us.
LIfe together can be challenging, especially when there are differences in language and culture. These challenges make us stronger as a community and more vital as a people. You came to this country because you saw freedom and opportunity, the very things that brought our forefathers and mothers to America. I have lived in Hacienda Heights for 29 years and have seen the profoundly positive influences that Chinese people have brought to our community. I have learned that differences in language and culture are things to be celebrated and embraced. We need to build bridges, not walls.
There is no place for walls within the church. In Christ, every wall that divides us is torn down. The Body of Christ embraces every nation, tribe, people, and language, just as Christ HImself died for all on the Cross. Our identity is in our Baptism into Christ not in the country of our origin, the ethnicity of our people, or the color of our skin. “There is one Lord, one faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:5-6). We are Christians, brothers and sisters in Christ, before we are anything else, whether American or Chinese, black, brown, yellow, or white. We are, first of all, children of God, our heavenly Father.
Please know that this concern is in my constant prayer, even as we pray about it every Sunday when we are together in worship.  We need to work together for peace and harmony, mutual respect, and cooperation as members of our community. We stand with you, and we will stand up for you.
In the love of Christ,
Pr. William M. Cwirla

致华人教友的公开信蒙爱在基督耶稣里的弟兄姊妹们,

近几个月的新闻中,有几篇关于针对生活在我们国家的亚裔的暴力、侮辱和仇恨言论的报道。几周前,在哈仙达岗有一个社区领袖聚会,讨论我们社区内反亚裔事件的问题。作为一个美国人,作为早期移民的儿子和孙子,作为哈仙达岗社区的长期居民,这让我深感悲哀。

因国籍、民族或种族而针对任何人的仇恨言论和暴力行动,在我们的社会中没有任何可容忍的地方。我深感悲哀的是,有些人把他们的仇恨转向了你们,我们的中国朋友和邻居。我祈祷你们中没有人亲身经历过这种情况。但是请知道,作为邻居,我们与你们站在一起,我们将为你们站出来。你们是我们社区受欢迎的一部分,对我们的共同生活贡献良多。我们不会允许偏见和偏执在我们之间造成隔阂。

共同生活可能具有挑战性,特别是当存在语言和文化差异的时候。这些挑战使我们作为一个社区更强大,作为一个民族更有活力。你们来到这个国家是因为你们看到了自由和机会,也正是这些东西把我们的祖先和母亲带到了美国。我在哈仙达岗居住了29年,看到了中国人给我们社区带来的深远的积极影响。我认识到,语言和文化的差异是值得庆贺和拥抱的事情。我们需要建立桥梁而不是墙壁。

在教会中更不该有墙。在基督里,每一堵分隔我们的墙都被拆毁了。基督的身体包容每一个国家、部落、民族和语言,就像基督自己在十字架上为所有人而死那样。我们的身份的根基是我们受洗归于基督,而不是在我们的原籍国,我们的民族,或我们的肤色。”4 身体只有一个,圣灵只有一个,正如你们蒙召同有一个指望。5 一主,一信,一洗,6 一 神,就是众人的父,超乎众人之上,贯乎众人之中,也住在众人之内。”(以弗所书4:5-6)。我们是基督徒,是基督里的兄弟姐妹,在我们是任何其他东西之前,无论是美国人还是中国人,黑人、棕色人、黄色人还是白人,我们首先是上帝的孩子,我们的天父。

请大家知晓,我一直在为这个问题祈祷,甚至当我们每个星期天在一起做礼拜的时候都在为这个问题祈祷。 我们需要一起努力,争取和平与和谐,作为我们社区的成员相互尊重和合作。我们与你们站在一起,我们将为你们挺身而出。

在基督的爱中,

Pr. William M. Cwirla
威廉.斯沃拉牧师