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Dear Friends,

By now, you may have heard of the devastating fire at the Martin Luther King Community Presbyterian Church in Springfield.  The church is a predominantly Black church, and the fire is being investigated by city, state and federal agencies.  According to several news reports, it has not yet been determined whether this fire was an act of arson or a hate crime.

I have reached out to the church directly as well as clergy colleagues in Springfield.  I have heard that the church needs funds to begin its recovery efforts, and although there do not seem to be any online mechanisms for donations at this time, Rev. Andrea Ayvazian, Associate Pastor of the Alden Baptist Church in Springfield, is collecting donations locally and delivering them directly to the Martin Luther King Community Presbyterian Church.

If you would like to make a contribution, please feel free to send a check to CBI with MLK Church Support in the memo, and we will make sure these donations reach their intended source.

Of course, I will let the community know if I learn about additional ways to support the church.

Thank you for giving this sad and concerning event your attention.  I hope you are staying safe and well, and l look forward to being in touch soon.

B'shalom,

Rabbi Justin David