Racial Justice Ministries encompasses our efforts to bring awareness, make a difference, and inspire change. 
We believe in the equality of all peoples. 
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If you have any questions or would like to get involved, email us at [email protected].
Our Racial Justice Ministries Mission Statement
We at McFarland UCC recognize the ongoing acts of injustice against people of color, and we stand in support of those who bear the burden of inequity in our nation. We believe in our interconnectedness as human beings, and we pledge to work together as a congregation to educate ourselves and to take action to improve the lives of those who have been oppressed. Psalm 82:3 (New International Version) exhorts us to “Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.” As we begin to understand the extent of racial injustices in our nation, we are called to work toward a more just and equitable future for all of God’s people.
2024 Activities to Work Towards Racial Justice:
March 5, 2024 - Presentation "Land Acknowledgement Done Better"
A presentation by Rev. Kerri Parker, Executive Director of The Wisconsin Council of Churches, about how to do a "land acknowledgement" (telling the truth about the history of land being stolen from Native Americans and taking specific actions toward justice and reparation) with greater depth, integrity, effectiveness, and faithfulness. The presentation took place at McFarland United Church of Christ, McFarland, WI, on March 5th, 2024, and was co-sponsored by a number of area churches and community organizations that have come together to address issues of justice for indigenous peoples.
2023 Achievements
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November 18, 2023 - Hosted presentation
"An Evening With Mark Charles:  The Doctrine of Discovery" Recording
Sponsored by McFarland UCC's Racial Justice Ministries team in partnership with the McFarland School District, Wisconsin Council of Churches, Wisconsin Conference of the UCC (SW Ass.), Catalyst Team--Wisconsin Conference UCC, James Reed Unitarian-Universality Congregation, Orchard Ridge UCC, Plymouth UCC, McFarland Village Board, Indigenous Solidarity Collective of McFarland, McFarland Equity Project, and Call for Peace. 
Visit to America’s Black Holocaust Museum in Milwaukee
On Saturday, Sept. 30, take a tour of America’s Black Holocaust Museum (ABHM) in Milwaukee. Meet at 8:45 a.m. at the church parking lot to carpool to the museum (approximately 1 hour 15 minutes). After our guided tour, we’ll have lunch at a nearby black-owned restaurant. The cost is $10/person.
Dr. James Cameron, a lynching survivor and early civil rights pioneer, was inspired to create ABHM when he visited the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem in 1979. Cameron had faith in the moral framework of liberty and justice for all, embodied in our country's founding documents. He believed that when enough white Americans were exposed to an accurate account of the black American experience, they would oppose racial injustice and help the nation achieve its ideals.
America’s Black Holocaust Museum invites visitors to learn and grow together. The museum shares stories that advance visitors' understanding of our country’s troubled racial past, suggests strategies for acknowledging and repairing racial trauma, and helps our nation move into a more just and peaceful future. Join us for this interesting and informative tour!

Taking a Journey of Hope and Discovery
On June 2-3 June 3, McFarland UCC hosted a multimedia exhibit and program called, “Taking a Journey
of Hope and Discovery.” The program explored why there is a greater need now more than ever for
understanding the interconnectedness of our common humanity and our relationship to each other and
to nonhuman life on this planet.

Our presenters were McFarland residents Dawn and Art Shegonee. Art is a member of the Menominee
and Potowatomi tribes in Wisconsin and has been a cultural consultant, teacher and presenter at over
400 schools and colleges throughout Wisconsin and neighboring states. In the 1990s, Art and Dawn co-
founded the Call for Peace Drum & Dance Company, which has traveled around the world performing in
Russia, Egypt, Germany, Italy, Israel, Puerto Rico and Ireland. They also performed at the openings for
the Monona Terrace and the Overture Center for the Arts.
 
Racial Justice Video Series
The "Color of Compromise" is an acclaimed, timely study of how some people of faith have historically, and even up to the present day, actually worked against racial justice. It’s a call to urgent action for all Christians today.

We held the series in person at McFarland UCC and also on Zoom. We viewed and discussed one episode on each on Feb. 28, March 7 and March 14. After the 20-minute video, we broke into groups either in person or on Zoom to consider and discuss the video.

After our discussion, we reviewed the action items from the "Color of Compromise" series and determined next steps, following the ARC (Awareness, Relationships, Commitments) of Racial Justice.

Awareness:
  • Book readings and discussions
  • Videos
  • Classes
  • Talk to others
  • Study U.S. history through documentaries
  • Taking a Faithful Stand for Equity

Relationships:
  • Partner with a Black church
  • Reach out to high school or UW Black student group
  • Connect musically with Mt. Zion church (director Leotha Stanley)
  • Organize and host a Juneteenth celebration
  • Scholarships - sponsor a person of color who wants to become a pastor
  • Reach out to other churches who have Racial Justice committees like ours
  • If a local tragedy happens, show up to support the victims
  • Seek out restaurants and art that are Black-owned or created
  • Connect with the Black Chamber of Commerce or Black Women Entrepreneurs

Commitments:
  • Visit South Madison Farmers Market regularly
  • Visit Milwaukee Black Holocaust Museum and eat at a Black-owned restaurant
  • Seek out plays by Black authors and organize a church field trip to see them
  • Connect with UCC legislative liaison to know what legislative discussions/actions are coming up
  • Taking a Faithful Stand for Equity legislative watch group opportunity
  • Saturday night event
  • Fund scholarships (which we’re doing through NION)
  • Ask the WI Conference to organize and lead a seminar on Racial Justice


2022 Achievements
  • Book Club – In 2021-22 we read and discussed the following books, learning things we never knew about our nation’s history and current struggles:
    • "Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents" by Isabelle Wilkerson
    • "How To Be an Antiracist" by Ibram X. Kendi
    • "Evicted" by Matthew Desmond
    • "The Color of Compromise: The Truth About the American Church's Complicity in Racism" by Jemar Tisby
  • "Why Race Matters" PBS series – In 2022 we held Zoom sessions over seven weeks to view and discuss episodes of the “Why Race Matters” series on PBS. These episodes included topics on Mental Health, Civic Engagements, School-to-Prison Pipeline, Black Farming and Land Ownership, Maternal Health and Birth Equity, Black Artists and Appropriation, and Women and Barriers After Incarceration. For those
    who were unable to attend, or would like to see recent episodes, here is the link: https://pbswisconsin.org/why-race-matters/
  • Personal Essentials Drive for Nehemiah Community Development – Collecting essential items for Madison communities in need.
  • Church Ambiance – We examined how church artwork and nursery books/toys may not be as inclusive and welcoming as we’d like, and new artwork and nursery items have been included. A Worship Arts Committee has been formed to review and refresh our wall space with a goal of enhancing inclusivity and also highlighting art created by church members and youth.  
  • Movie Night – In 2021-22, we enjoyed watching two outdoor movies, “Remember the Titans” and “Ruby Bridges.”
  • Postcard Writing Campaign - In 2022, we partnered with Reclaim Our Vote, a campaign of the Center for Common Ground, to empower under-represented voters to fully participate in elections by sending postcards to a list provided to us by Reclaim Our Vote. We held postcard-writing sessions after church on several successive Sundays and mailed a total of 120 postcards to people in Florida who were registered to vote but hadn’t voted in the past couple of election cycles.