Literally adding insult to injury, Emmanuel UMC in Philadelphia, a historic African American church, received a hateful, insulting message scrawled on notepaper this week, less than a month after the church was broken into…
Preserving Black church history
Consider an African proverb: “If the lion does not tell its story, the hunter will always be the hero.” “Persons who are depressed and oppressed have a tendency not to tell their story,” said retired Bishop Forrest Stith, who played …
Inspiration, expertise for Black churches
When the leaders of Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century declare that ministry going forward needs to be done from the “right side,” they’re not referring to politics. The full, mildly irreverent title of SBC21’s Dec. 1-2 conference in Houston is “Shift Happens: …
Juneteenth and July 4th: A tale of two Independence Days
At a time when America’s freedom is endangered by efforts to restrict or even thwart voting rights for all, it may be timely for us to have two holidays to celebrate our nation’s freedom and independence—both actual and aspirational. July …
Juneteenth now a federal holiday
Church leads Chester celebration
The U.S. Congress this week approved a bill to make June 19 a national holiday to celebrate Juneteenth National Independence Day. Although arguably misnamed, the bill, which celebrates national freedom not independence, was signed into law by President Joe Biden today, June 17.
Living into our Calling for Reparations
On the Tulsa Race Massacre and the theological calling for reparations for African Americans Last week we observed 100 years since the Tulsa Race Massacre, one of the worst events of anti-Black terror and violence in U.S. history which devastated …
United Methodists react to Chauvin verdict
Bishop Peggy Johnson joined other UMs across the connection in responding to a jury’s guilty verdict –three counts of murder and manslaughter–given April 20 to former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for killing George Floyd. Learn more…
Policing in African American Communities Webinar
Join us for an important discussion to benefit our communities…
The Eastern PA Conference Urban Commission’s Fight for Floyd and Beyond Initiative will sponsor a webinar on African Americans and Policing: Developing Healthy Police and Community Relationships on Thursday, April 22, 6:30 to 8:30 PM on Zoom.
Racism must go, but how to get there?
It’s time — way overdue, in fact — for The United Methodist Church to make progress on racial issues that surpasses the bromides of the past, said Black leaders of the denomination.
Difficult, complicated racial justice issues were raised in 2020 by Black Lives Matters protests and the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol building in Washington, as well as the police killings of African Americans including George Floyd in Minneapolis, Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky, and Daniel Prude in Rochester, New York.
State of the Black Church forum to address concerns
The Eastern PA and Peninsula-Delaware (Pen-Del) conferences will cosponsor The State of the Black Church Forum on Thursday, March 18, at 6:30 PM on Zoom. This important, timely panel discussion for Black clergy and laity will feature African American district superintendents of each …