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I was in the process of making the final edits for this book (which I started writing in February 2018) when a national powder keg exploded. On May 25, 2020, came the devastating news of the tragic and immoral death of George Floyd at the hands of four Minneapolis police officers. The nine agonizing minutes that officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into Mr. Floyd’s neck—effectively killing him—were caught on camera and have been viewed by millions of people across the world. When I watched the video, I experienced a soul-shattering grief and wept.

Numerous plumes of righteous anger and angst have erupted from cities across the United States (and the globe), expressed in the form of protests (the vast majority being peaceful) along with some incidents of rioting, looting, and arson.

The death of Mr. Floyd has brought us to an undeniable inflection point. To be sure, our national crisis has been precipitated by multiple factors, including: a) as we approach a consequential presidential election (November 2020), you can feel the toxicity infusing our political-partisan environment intensifying, b) due to the COVID-19 pandemic, over 100,000 Americans have died and tens of millions are unemployed or underemployed, c) surveys indicate more than one-third of people are wrestling with anxiety and depression,1 and d) thousands of churches are struggling with the pressures and logistics related to regathering for live worship services.

How did I respond? On June 1, I was invited to participate in a prayer vigil for racial justice in honor and memory of George Floyd at Liberty Square in Newport, Rhode Island, organized by the NAACP Newport (Rhode Island) Branch. Everything about the rally felt significant, unifying, and healing. Along with the rally organizers—including clergy and government officials—I shared my heart (testified) and led the crowd in prayer.

To me, this event beautifully captured the essence of the reconciling places model presented in this book. If you would like to gain a sense of what occurred, I strongly encourage you to watch the fifty-six-minute video of the rally,2 read the news coverage,3 and check out my personal reflections.4

In the final analysis, while the reconciling work of the cross is finished, our work as God’s reconcilers is not yet done.

Paul Hoffman

June 5, 2020

Standing on the left: Pastor Steve Robinson. Standing on Steve’s right, holding the microphone, Pastor Paul Hoffman. For over fourteen years, we have been best friends and co-laborers in the ministry of reconciliation. (Photograph courtesy of Ryan Belmore, Whatsupnewp.)

1. Galvin, “Coronavirus Survey,” US News & World Report, May 27, 2020. https://www.usnews.com/news/healthiest-communities/articles/2020-05-27/one-third -of-us-adults-have-signs-of-depression-anxiety-during-pandemic.

2. Belmore, “NAACP Prayer Vigil,” Whatsupnewp, June 1, 2020. https://whatsupnewp.com/2020/06/video-naacp-prayer-vigil-for-racial-justice-held-in-newport/.

3. Damon, “Peaceful vigil,” Newport Daily News, June 1, 2020. https://www.newportri.com/news/20200601/peaceful-vigil-held-in-newport-in-wake-of-george-floydrsquos -killing.

4. Hoffman, “A Way Forward,” Newport This Week, June 4, 2020. https://www.newportthisweek.com/articles/a-way-forward/?fbclid=IwAR2PI8xGj937dewvRE3OrQdiecXF5DnpUm6D6bTa6fNB3RdP1v8fVl_6FKk; Hoffman and Kim, “Four Ways Church Leaders Can Inspire Racial Healing,” Influence Magazine, June 10, 2020. https://influencemagazine.com/en/Practice/Four-Ways-Church-Leaders-Can-Inspire-Racial-Healing; Hoffman, “Activism 101: How Churches Can Respond to the Death of George Floyd,” ChurchLeaders, June 15, 2020. https://churchleaders.com/outreach-missions/outreach-missions-articles/377212-activism-101-how-churches-can-respond-to-the-death-of-george-floyd.html.