The "Faithful Engagement: Race & the American Church" teaching team (left to right): Derek Mondeau, Thurston Benns, Charlene Brown, and Nathan Walton.
[Photo credit: Paul Tshihamba/Imago Dei Media]
On April 5 and 6, Blacknall’s Committee on Jesus, Race, and the Church (JRC) hosted “Faithful Engagement: Race and the American Church,” a two-day workshop exploring the intersections of faith, Scripture, and race relations in the United States. The workshop's four-person teaching team included Blacknall member Charlene Brown and three other Christ-following leaders from Virginia. Charlene has been in deep relationship with these leaders for many years and has served with them in ministry, primarily through Intervarsity Christian Fellowship.
The workshop was a resounding success with about 90 Blacknall members, attenders, and friends attending on both days. The Fellowship Hall was filled with people and the Holy Spirit.
The teaching team skillfully taught and led discussions, group conversations, and reflective exercises that allowed participants to delve into biblical foundations, current and historical barriers, and what it means to be followers of Christ and faithfully wrestle with issues related to race, multiethnicity, justice, and reconciliation. Each of the leaders also shared personal stories from their journey in these areas.
The feedback from participants via a post-event survey, email, and conversation was overwhelmingly positive. Many participants expressed a desire to continue learning and talking about these issues – individually, in groups, and as a church – and to identify some next steps that would allow us to love our neighbors better. Having enough time to cover all the material was a recognized limitation.
Catherine Honeycutt, a Blacknall member and deacon, shared this reflection:
“The Faithful Engagement workshop on race and the church was time well spent. I was so grateful for this opportunity to step into a weekend of learning about what Scripture says about the multiethnic kingdom, which God designed from the very beginning. The weekend included Scripture study, personal stories, an insightful vocabulary lesson, a short history of wealth disparity and real estate inequity in the last 90 years in the US, time to ask questions, and much more. The leadership and teaching were excellent and grace-filled. I only wish we’d had more time.”
One attendee identified their biggest takeaway as “The theological insights, namely that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit put on ethnicity and culture, and that the church, in centering the pursuit of our Triune God, should likewise be intentional about cultivating a multi-ethnic community.”
Another attendee shared, “This was a really humbling and wonderful two days. I hope and pray that I (personally) and we (as a church) can count the cost and find it worthy to pursue change, a multiethnic life, and bridge divides.”
The JRC Committee is very grateful to the teaching team and to everyone who attended or expressed an interest in attending. The committee is exploring setting up some times for those who attended to continue reflecting on what they learned and heard and to pray together. Stay tuned for more information.
The JRC is also considering ways to share the material in other ways, and further support our engagement in current Blacknall partnerships and ministries that provide opportunities to build relationships, learn, and grow in these areas. Examples include Mt. Level Partnership for Racial Justice’s Study of Dr. King's Letter from Birmingham Jail going on now through May 14 and gathering to pray for the Lord’s guidance in this area at Fifth Monday Prayer on April 29.
If you have questions or want to know more about the work of the JRC, please reach out to Mary Mathew.
With gratitude and hope,
The JRC Committee: David Dunderdale, Susan Kinghorn, Mary Mathew, Alicia Ramos, Steve Hinkle, and Paul Tshihamba.