On May 18, UCC pastors across the nation offered sermons on race as an important first step toward beginning a longer-term "sacred conversation on race" that will take place over the coming weeks and months in our churches and communities. Congregations are now encouraged to develop processes that will lead to productive dialogue and action. It's impossible for a sacred conversation on race to be a single-day event.
The UCC announced this intiative on April 3 -- on the 40th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s last sermon -- in order to foster a spirit of healing and unity. While much has been said during the past several weeks about the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., this dialogue is intended to be a larger conversation, one not focused directly or exclusively on the recent controversy, but one certainly influenced by it.
Sacred conversations are never easy, especially when honest talk confronts our nation's painful past and speaks directly to the injustices of the present day. Yet sacred conversations can, and often do, honor the value of diverse life experiences, requiring an openness to hear each others' viewpoints. Growth often happens when honest conversations are communicated in a respectful environment.
This webpage is a repository for resources to assist with planning a "sacred conversation on race."
Sacred Conversations E-list Receive periodic information, as available, on resources to assist your congregation’s efforts to organize and promote sacred conversations on race.
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