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Racial Justice Ministries encompasses our efforts to bring awareness, make a difference, and inspire change.
We believe in the equality of all peoples. If you have any questions or would like to get involved, email us at office@mcfarlanducc.org. |
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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. 2023 Activities to Work Towards Racial Justice: 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:
Relationships:
Commitments:
2022 Achievements
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