Join Biltmore UMC and The United Methodist Church in courageous conversations and calls of action to end personal and systemic racism.
PRAY:
Daily prayers for anti-racism
– Dismantling racism is not a short-term task but a lifelong moving forward to perfection in love—to use founder of the Methodist movement, John Wesley’s words.
Dismantling Racism: Pressing on to Freedom
A Service of Lament, Repentance, Communion, and Commitment
United Methodists around the world participated in a service to pray and lament for the racism in our midst. This service premiered live for streaming on YouTube and Facebook and is now available to replay. Hear God’s call to join in the work of dismantling racism and pressing on to freedom for all.
Follow along: Dismantling Racism: A Service of Lament Worship Bulletin
Social Principles
“Racism is the combination of the power to dominate by one race over other races and a value system that assumes that the dominant race is innately superior to the others.
Racism includes both personal and institutional racism. Personal racism is manifested through the individual expressions, attitudes, and/or behaviors that accept the assumptions of a racist value system and that maintain the benefits of this system. Institutional racism is the established social pattern that supports, implicitly or explicitly, the racist value system.
Racism, manifested as sin, plagues and hinders our relationship with Christ, in as much as it is antithetical to the gospel itself. In many cultures white persons are granted unearned privileges and benefits that are denied to persons of color.
Therefore, we recognize racism as sin and affirm the ultimate and temporal worth of all persons. We rejoice in the gifts that particular ethnic histories and cultures bring to our total life. We commit as the Church to move beyond symbolic expressions and representative models that do not challenge unjust systems of power and access….”
-The Social Community: Rights of Racial and Ethnic Persons (para. 162.A)
For the full response to this Social Principle: https://www.umcjustice.org/who-we-are/social-principles-and-resolutions/the-social-community-162/the-social-community-rights-of-racial-and-ethnic-persons-162-a
Biltmore UMC regularly holds studies around the topic of race. Two books we’ve read include Waking Up White and Finding Myself in the Story of Race by Debbie Irving and Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson. After reading Just Mercy, the church went to see the film together in theaters.
We also did a joint movie study with Rock Hill Missionary Baptist Church around the film The Grace Card.
Don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like to be included in our next study!
Resources
Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church: https://www.wnccumc.org/
On our conference website, you’ll find resources around the topic of racial justice as well as tools for holding healthy conversations.
Some resources include:
A Summons to Witness, Protest, & Promise
Means of Grace Podcast Episode: Race. Racism. The Church’s Clarion Call
An Invitation to join a Juneteenth Virtual Celebration
The United Methodist Church: https://www.umc.org/
Dismantling Racism: What Can You Do?
Advocating for Racial Justice Resources
Book of Resolutions: What We Believe: White Privilege in the US
US News: Renewed Vigor in the Fight Against Racism
Books: Resources on Race at Cokesbury
