Anti-Racism
United Methodists recognize racism as sin and commit to challenging unjust systems of power and access. In this way, we honor our baptismal vow to resist evil, injustice, and oppression. Below you will find a variety of resources to empower us in being an anti-racist community. Check back often to find the latest of how Faith United is living into our call to radically welcome all people.
The Love Your Neighbor Walk is a 15-day study designed to create dedicated time and space to delve into scripture and connect God's word to our social justice habits, particularly those dealing with issues of race, power, and leadership. Each day provides opportunities to reflect on scripture then select from a variety of activities such as reading an article, listening to a podcast or watching a video. The Love Your Neighbor Walk is indebted to the faithful work of the Stark County Dismantling Racism Task Force and their 15 Day Unity Challenge to Dismantle Racism in Stark County.
To Access the Love your Neighbor Walk Click Here
The Complex History between Race and Methodism
Faith United invites you to partner with United Methodists and Christians of other denominations around the world in a kingdom movement to help dismantle racism where ever it exists and in whatever forms it exists. Encouraged by the Council of Bishops of the United Methodist Church, we invite you to engage in the following actions:
- Read, watch videos and/or listen to podcasts on the subject of anti-racism as much as you can
- Engage in conversations with children, youth and adults about anti-racism
- Support peaceful protesting
- Commit to a 30-day season of prayer.
- Pray for all who suffer from oppression and racism
- Pray for the church to be connected and to be a witness of God’s redemptive and transformative love
We invite you to share about what you are reading, watching, listening to, learning, discussing, praying and about the ways you are supporting peaceful protests. Please send your sharing to our webmaster, Dane Llewellyn at dllewellyn@crowlinc.com
Resources for Talking about Race and Racism with Children:
- The info graphic was created by Children Community School. Click to learn more
- Christine Hides, UMC Deacon and Christian Educator, shares several helpful resources on her blog, Bless Each One
- Deep Blue Life: Faith and Culture is designed to teach children about empathy, culture, race, and prejudice. This resource includes three sessions titled “Prejudice and Stereotypes,” “Curiosity and Empathy,” and “Colors and Cultures.” Cokesbury is making this resource available for free at this link
- Wendy Claire Barrie, author of Faith at Home shares this resource
- Parent Toolkit shares this article previously published June 2019
- Sesame Street Racism Town Hall
Race & Ministry: Black Clergy Share Their Experiences
The East Ohio Conference Black Pastors' Fellowship and the office of Multicultural Vitality have produced a new video series aimed at creating discussion and moving all of us towards racial justice.
In a joint statement promoting the video series Revs. Buie and Lewis said their hope is the project will “bring people to the table to break bread as brothers and sisters to reason together so that we may be one as our Lord Jesus desires us to be."
The Unity Challenge is designed to create dedicated time and space to build more effective social justice habits, particularly those dealing with issues of race, power, privilege, and leadership. Click here to learn more about dismantling racism in stark county. Participants will explore racial equity and social injustice through activities designed to dismantle racism and other forms of discrimination.