On June 17th, 2015, A 21-year old white supremacist attended a prayer service and Bible Study at the historic African-American church, Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina.

He was warmly received by the group. Together, they all participated in Bible Study for 40 minutes.

He waited for them to begin praying. Then he raised a gun, espoused racist rhetoric and epithets, and for 6 horrific minutes, fired at all the participants, killing 9 beautiful brothers and sisters in Christ. They are forever remembered as the Emanuel Nine.

We have work to do. The shooter was baptized in the ELCA and was on the rolls of an ELCA congregation. Two of his victims, Rev. Daniel Lee Simmons Sr., and Rev. Clementa Pinckney, were graduates of the Lutheran Theology Southern Seminary, one of 8 ELCA seminaries.