Announcing TRUMC’s Racial Justice and Inclusion Emphasis

The Evangelism-Hospitality Core Team, in conjunction with the Senior Pastor, and members of TRUMC’s ad hoc Racial Justice Task Force, would like to share with you a new initiative underway at our church that will begin soon.

This initiative is in response to the recent racial unrest following the death of George Floyd, and in response to a greater initiative in the United Methodist Church at large. As described, "On Juneteenth (June 19) 2020, bishops of The United Methodist Church announced the launch of a multi-level effort to initiate a sustained and coordinated effort to dismantle racism and promote collective action to work toward racial justice." (https://www.umc.org/EndRacism )

We’re inviting you into a journey. This is a journey that we pray is hope-filled, life-giving, and transformative.  It will be a journey of both honest dialogue and thoughtful introspection, both an individual journey of self-discovery and a collective journey and commitment to lasting change. Our extended Racial Justice and Inclusion emphasis will kick off with a 3-part Sunday morning worship series, beginning Sunday, September 13, titled,  "Becoming the Beloved Community: A Journey toward Racial Justice and Inclusion.” More specifically, the worship series will be focused on Christian qualities needed for becoming what Martin Luther King, Jr. called “the beloved community”, a diverse and inclusive community that reflects God’s kingdom dynamics.  This worship series will be followed by a period of stretching ourselves through self-reflection, learning and growing related to the complexities of racism and our response as people of Christ.

In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,

“The end is reconciliation; the end is redemption; the end is the creation of the Beloved Community. It is this type of spirit and this type of love that can transform opponents into friends. It is this type of understanding goodwill that will transform the deep gloom of the old age into the exuberant gladness of the new age. It is this love which will bring about miracles in the hearts of men.” (http://www.thekingcenter.org/king-philosophy). 

We look forward to joining with you on this journey.  Stay tuned for more details to follow! To learn more about this coordinated effort by The United Methodist Church, go to UMC.org/EndRacism.