Iglesia Centro Cristiano de Minneapolis

Sermons available online here

A poem by Hispanic pastor Joel Ramírez of ICCM

What Kind of Nation Have We Become?

What kind of nation is this,

when fear wakes us before the sun?

What kind of nation have we become?

When people hesitate at their own doors,

keys trembling in their hands,

seeking ICE more than light.

What kind of nation have we become?

Children grow up behind closed curtains,

learning the shape of the world through shadows,

playing quietly to avoid notice.

What kind of nation have we become?

When the walk to church feels dangerous,

when prayer is whispered like a secret,

and faith stays home for safety.

What kind of nation have we become?

When churches lock their doors,

not because God has left,

but because fear has outgrown faith.

What kind of nation have we become?

When shepherds weep in silence,

counting the missing faces in empty pews,

wondering how to care for people they cannot see.

What kind of nation have we become?

There is no light at the end of the tunnel

- only the echo of another bad headline,

another family holding its breath.

What kind of nation have we become?

The bad news travels faster than the Good News,

shouts louder than hope,

and drowns out the Gospel of peace.

What kind of nation have we become?

When survival replaces dreaming,

when staying invisible feels like wisdom,

and courage feels like a luxury.

What kind of nation have we become?

And still—

there are men and women who extend their hands

to feed the hungry,

to cover those shivering in the cold,

to walk alongside the innocent,

and to raise the voice of those who cannot speak.

Still, there are hearts that refuse indifference,

knees that bend in prayer,

and feet that move toward suffering.

Still, love crosses borders fear has drawn.

Still, mercy interrupts cruelty.

Still, God walks the streets we are afraid to tread.

And in this moment of darkness,

the community unites, stronger than ever,

with brave souls living by their values,

undaunted by the storms of life.

So we ask again, not in anger, but in grief,

not to accuse, but to awaken:

What kind of nation have we become?

And who will we choose to become?

Hispanic pastor Joel Ramírez

Iglesia Centro Cristiano de Minneapolis

Converge North Central