Friday, May 16, 2008
Dear Colleagues in Ministry,
The United Church of Christ,through its national office, has issued a call for congregations to begin a sacred conversation about race this Sunday, May 18. The United Church of Christ is urging this national dialogue for the purpose of fostering a spirit of healing and unity in our churches and in our communities. Congregations are encouraged to “develop a months-long process in order to set aside the necessary time and attention needed to structure a sacred conversation about race.”
We in Minnesota are especially fortunate to have the gifts of our Conference’s Emmaus Antiracism Team to support us in this critical work. Over the four years of its existence, the Emmaus Team has developed resources that are truly transformative and healing, allowing congregations to engage openly the often-silenced reality of racism in a manner that creates a deeper sense of community and commitment by congregational members. The Emmaus Team has agreed that all Team members will be available to help plan and facilitate sacred conversations about racism in the upcoming months. If you are interested in having two members of the Emmaus Team visit your congregation, meet with your clergy cluster, or otherwise be involved with you in this work, kindly contact Herbert Perkins by email or at 612-558-0452.
The Emmaus Team has also developed a packet of materials that may be used as a beginning point for these sacred conversations. These have been posted on the Minnesota Conference website. Additional materials will be available in the weeks ahead and others can currently be found on the national website.
Let us enter into this work with the knowledge that our Conference seeks to be a place of extravagant welcome and evangelical courage. Let us enter into this work grateful for the company we have in the Emmaus Antiracism Team.
Sincerely,
Rev. Dr. Karen Smith Sellers
Conference Minister
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Last modified at 1/27/2009 4:59 PM by Alison Bents
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