As part of The United Methodist Church's Dismantling Racism: Pressing On To Freedom initiative, church leaders conduct a service of lament, inviting United Methodists across the connection to join in a time of repentance, communion and commitment as the church examines racial injustice.
During the past 100 years, too many people have been Martyrs to Racism. We pay respects to this Cloud of Witnesses as United Methodists across the globe work to dismantle racism. Read - and say - their names.
In a multi-language and multi-cultural time of worship, a representation of our global church, United Methodists pray, sing and share communion with one another.
The service concludes with church leaders challenging every member of The United Methodist Church to a four-part call: pray, connect, show up, act.
As we pray, those of us who are white are called to pray that God will show us what we refuse to see and do what we've been unwilling to do. And those of us who are people of color are invited to pray with our white brothers and sisters and give another chance to get it right.
If we are truly ready to do a new thing, people of color and white people must connect with one another and talk about racism and about change.
To show up, we must put ourselves on the line to reclaim the soul of our nation and our church.
Finally, we must act, responding with commitment and courage by marching, demonstrating, writing letters to elected officials and speaking up.
To quote Council of Bishops President Cynthia Harvey, "Dear Life-Giving God, we your people are in this for the long haul. "
Learn more about what working toward racial justice for the long haul means for each of us.
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