10/03/2026
A Pastoral Letter to our Church & Community
One cannot read the allegations coming out of Cornell University and not be horrified. They are a painful reminder that sexual violence does not happen in isolation. It takes root wherever the dignity of women is diminished, where consent is dismissed or ignored, where bodies are treated as objects, and where communities choose silence in the face of harm.
At Oak Lawn United Methodist Church, we stand with survivors of abuse and sexual violence. We pray for those carrying wounds they may never share publicly, and we recommit ourselves to building a community where every person can live without fear, where dignity is protected, and where accountability is real.
Our United Methodist Social Principles are clear. We affirm the right of every person to bodily autonomy and freedom from exploitation, and we condemn sexual harassment, assault, abuse, and r**e. These are not simply positions we hold on paper. They reflect our belief in the sacred worth and God-given dignity of every person.
The civil litigation and renewed criminal investigation involving members of Cornell’s Chi Phi fraternity must be allowed to run their course in the pursuit of truth and accountability. But we do not need to wait for a verdict to say clearly what kind of world we believe God calls us to build.
Consent matters. The safety and dignity of women are not negotiable. Intoxication or vulnerability is never permission for exploitation. No person is an object to be used. And when survivors come forward, they deserve compassion, support, and care—not suspicion, shame, or blame.
Justice demands that we look upstream, too. We must confront cultures that objectify women, turn sexual exploitation into entertainment or a form of bonding, or value the reputation of an institution more than the people who have been harmed. Our faith calls us to care for those who have experienced violence, but it also calls us to challenge the systems, attitudes, and behaviors that allow that violence to continue.
Standing with survivors is part of how we stand for justice. So is working to build a world where there are fewer survivors in the first place.
Rev. Rachel Griffin-Allison
Rev. Isabel Marquez-E
Rev. Ryan Wager
