Stop White Supremacy
A CALL TO ACTION TO ERADICATE RACISM AND WHITE SUPREMACY
“What does the Lord require of you but to do Justice” – Micah 6:8a
God is calling us to actively engage in the work of racial justice by eradicating racism and white supremacy, being aware of efforts to eradicate human and civil rights, and strategizing to inform our congregations, community organizations, and concerned citizens when racism impacts all lives. Below are websites recommended to us by our Minister of Racial Justice to report racist abuses in our nation, your local church, and communities:
- Report Hate Speech
- Report Acts of Racism, Extremism, and Violence
- Prevent Cyberbullying and Social Media Abuse. Familiarize yourself with language, buzzwords, and symbols
- Know your rights. Contact Equal Justice Under the Law or email.
Clergy Response to Charlottesville
What it is: This is a small collection of remarks, prayers, and sermons given by UCC ministers in response to the violence in Charlottesville.
How to use it: Adapt these resources for your own prayers and sermons addressing white supremacy. Feature excerpts in your church newsletters or on your church website to discuss the racism and the violence that happened in Charlottesville.
Organizing Against White Supremacy: What You Can Do
The tragedy in Charlottesville has left many of our local churches asking questions such as:
- What should we do if this happens in our community?
- How can we prepare ourselves?
- How can we know when and how to get involved?
Here are some practical things you can do to organize against white supremacy.
Still Listening: A Digital Devotional
Choosing Justice
SoundCloud | iTunes | Google Play
What it is: A podcast from the writers of the UCC’s Daily Devotional. This episode addresses the problem with trying to be impartial in matters of justice.
How to use it: Use this podcast as a discussion starter in a small group, a reflection during worship, or as an educational tool on your church website. Ask people to reflect on why the impartiality of white people concerning racial justice issues contributes to white supremacy.
What it is: A year’s worth of devotions for social justice advocates.
How to use it: Use this devotion book as a resource for a small group or reflection during worship. After each devotion, ask small group participants how they will apply the devotion to their daily lives and how the devotion relates to confronting white supremacy.
White Privilege: Let’s Talk—A Resource for Transformational Dialogue
What it is: An adult curriculum from the United Church of Christ that’s designed to invite church members to engage in meaningful and bold conversations on race. The curriculum and supporting resources can be found here.
How to use it: Download the curriculum and facilitator resources, and use “White Privilege: Let’s Talk” as a starting point for conversations in your congregations about white privilege. This can be used as a small group resource or even as a training resource for lay leaders who need to explore these conversations before doing justice work.
Social Media Resources
What it is: Social media graphics to post on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.*
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram How to use it: Use copy for this post explaining how not saying anything about white supremacy makes white people complicit in it. Silence condones hatred.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram How to use it: Use copy unapologetically exclaiming that Black Lives Matter! Saying “Black Lives Matter” doesn’t diminish the lives of others. Instead, it recognizes the disproportionate police violence Black folks experience, and lets people know you object to that violence and any other demonstration of white supremacy.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram How to use it: Use copy that many people celebrate the actions of Civil Rights heroes without asking themselves if this is our “Civil Rights” moment now. As a resurgence of white supremacy occurs, we don’t have to imagine who we would have been during the Civil Rights Movement, we’re showing people right now.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram How to use it: Use copy that reminds people that demanding justice is something Jesus would have done. Use scriptures such as Amos 5:24 to show people that you seek racial justice as part of your faith.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram How to use it: Use copy to explain that if your church wants to help advocate for racial justice and primarily consists of white members, it’s important to remind people that how they show up to help matters. They should listen to people of color and not assume that people want charity opposed to support.
*To Download – Right Click – Save Image As
Blog Posts
What it is: Blog posts from the United Church of Christ blog, NewSacred.org. Each link comes with instructions about how you can use each blog as a discussion piece for a small group or meeting for your justice committees/groups.
Dismantling From Within
How to use it: Is your church ready to dismantle racism from within? Read this article and discuss the ways your church will work to dismantle the white supremacy within its walls.
WWJD? Put His Body on the Line for Racial Justice
How to use it: Read this piece from one of the organizers of the clergy response to the white supremacy in Charlottesville. Discuss what you think Jesus would do in response to white supremacy and how that should influence your response to it.
So You Say You’ve Got White Privilege. Now what?
How to use it: Many white people can acknowledge that white privilege exists, but they can’t identify the ways they uphold it. Read this blog and discuss the ways you or your church unintentionally uphold white privilege and the ways you plan to do better.