Praying for the peace of the city

MOSES LAKE — Law enforcement cannot, on its own, keep the peace and enforce the law, according to Grant County Interim Sheriff Ryan Rectenwald.

“It takes a village,” Rectenwald told an audience attending Saturday’s Faith and Blue event at McCosh Park. “Policing is only as good as the will of the people, and it’s as simple as that. In order to get that engagement, you have to be with the people. You have to stop your car, get out, have conversations and be present.”

Rectenwald was one of 10 speakers on Saturday’s event, which brought the Grant County Sheriff’s Office together with the Moses Lake Police Department and local pastors Sabrina Valdez of Restore City Church, Andry Grenier of First Baptist Church in Moses Lake, Glen Hughes of Galilee Missionary Baptist Church, Dan Dufner of Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Parish, local Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints High Council member Josh Dale, Eric Frey of Moses Lake Presbyterian Church, and Peter Fendich of Source of Life Church in Moses Lake at McCosh Park for a time of fellowship and food and to show that the community and law enforcement officers stand together, support each other and help keep the peace.

Faith and Blue was started in 2020 by national non-profit MovingForward in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services as a way to bring law enforcement agencies together with churches and congregations to help build relationships in communities to improve safety and help residents and police get to know each other better.

“We love law enforcement,” said Valdez. “We want to make sure we can continue to build relationships with them, that we can partner to make sure our community and streets are safe on a continual basis.”

Valdez said as a multi-ethnic congregation with a Spanish-language service every weekend, Restore City wants everyone — both law enforcement officers and ordinary residents — to be able to feel safe when they attend her church.

“We are so grateful to Chief (Kevin) Fuhr that has purposefully hired Spanish-speaking officers that are relatable not just to the Moses Lake community, but also within our church,” she said.

Dale echoed the words of Jesus to his disciples on the night before he was crucified.

“A new commandment I give you, that you love one another,” Dale said. “My message to you today is we can do better, and we must. We live in a world of great contention. We divide ourselves one from another over social and political issues. We have the ability to publicly approve and disapprove of things with the click of a button. And we oftentimes do with little or no regard to the feelings of the individuals involved.”

Dale said the only way to make a real change in the world is to create the kinds of relationships that allow people to care for each other.

“Love begins at home, regardless of what that home looks like,” he said.

Speaking in Ukrainian, Fendich quoted Jeremiah’s letter to the exiles, noting that as an immigrant, he has an obligation to pray for and work toward the good of the place he and his people currently live in, to build homes, plant gardens and have children.

“We came to this country freely,” Fendich said through a translator. “It doesn’t say Christians have to be passive. They need to have an active role in the community and the country they live in. … Because the peace of the city, it will also be good for you.”

Charles H. Featherstone can be reached at cfeatherstone@columbiabasinherald.com