We believe it is our baptismal promise to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves and that we, as the body of Christ, are called to stand with those who are victims of such injustice and work for peace and reconciliation. This includes addressing 400 years of racial injustice that has and continues to occur in our country, which we know to be a sin against God. 

We grieve all those individuals who have been injured and lost life in the ensuing chaos, and for the loved ones left behind. We pray for an end to violence against all of God’s children, an end to brutality, an end to division, an end to blindness. We pray for God to remove the logs from our eyes so that we can better see the path forward into the newness of Creation together. We acknowledge that we are not free until all are free. Below are organizations and groups to get involved in-- on both local and national levels-- that are actively doing anti-racist work. There are also some tools and opportunities for further education like books, movies, podcasts, and documentaries. Don't forget we educate to advocate. By this we mean we learn so that our faiths might be transformed into a lived faith. We are called to put into action God's call to us. There are so many options where God might be calling you so we have provided this pretty extensive, though not certainly comprehensive, list.

Please note: The leadership, staff, and people of BUMC may or may not agree with the opinions expressed by these authors and content creators. We do not list them as a statement of where BUMC stands as a whole on matters of race and faith. Rather, we link them here as what we hope are great Christ-centered conversation starters. We encourage you to think critically about the history, concepts, and language introduced in these resources. Our goal is to bring us closer to God and one another.

Want to get more involved in racial justice ministry or have a list of more in-depth resources? Contact Dr. Laura Brantley at lbrantley@bumc.net.