Welcome to Northwest Hills UMC
What is the United Methodist Church doing?
What can you do?
Pray: Ask God to show us the truth of our sin and how we might become agents of God’s justice, mercy, love and re-creation. Cry out to God for guidance. Listen for the voice of Jesus in meditation, Bible study, worship and conversation to guide our ways. Proclaim release, recovery and liberation for the oppressed.
Connect: Talk to people within and beyond the church who are doing anti-racism well. Ask questions. Listen to and respect diverse voices. Learn how and where racism shows in your community and how others are harmed by its effects. Harness United Methodist and other resources that address institutional racism.
Show Up: Be present to the pain of another. Attend a prayer vigil. Join a demonstration. Organize a church school class to read, discuss, and respond to institutional racism. Tell church leaders, community leaders and elected officials that you want to learn and help with dismantling racism in your community.
Act: Support cross-racial/cross-cultural ministries in your area. Preach and teach about the harm racism does and how it offends our God. Harness the Holy Spirit anointing to rid your congregation and ministry settings of all vestiges of institutional racial bias. Challenge your bishop, mayor, governor, police chief, or other elected officials to encode anti-racism policies and practices. Join the ongoing work for racial justice in the church and world.
Anti-racism Resources
Read How to be an Anti-Racist by Ibrim X. Kendi.
Read White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk about Racism by Robin DiAngelo. Or watch her speak.
Other titles are available at Cokesbury.com
A United Methodist Pastor in Ferguson, Missouri, offers helpful tips for talking about race.
The General Commission on Religion and Race offers several video series to encourage discussion.
Suggested Resources for Becoming Anti-Racist: Discipleship Ministries.