Multi-Racial Multi-Cultural Church

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 A Multiracial and Multicultural Church:

  • affirms and lives out its faith in God as revealed through Jesus Christ;
  • knows we are interconnected with people of all races, ethnicities and cultures;
  • embodies and rejoices in these diversities as gifts to the human family;
  • welcomes all people into the community of faith without discrimination because of color, race, ethnicity, language or culture;
  • formally recognizes and utilizes the racial and cultural varieties of gifts within the context of Christian Unity;
  • struggles within church and society to rid itself of the sin of racism which has prevented an authentic embrace of the races, ethnicity and cultures in our denomination;
  • makes multiracial and multicultural inclusiveness a key organizing principle for church in society;
  • works for justice and peace throughout the global community;
  • reflects in its membership the changing demographics
  • declares itself an anti-racist congregation.

 

THE UNITED STATES
today and tomorrow:

The United States in 2005: 71.3 Million people of color *

What about the United Church of Christ?

What You Can Do:

  • Pray for the Spirit to free you to be open to God’s call for the UCC to become truly a church of many races and cultures;
  • Expand your knowledge through reading and the arts of the gifts that the various races and cultures have contributed to the human family;
  • Build relationships with people who are of a different race or ethnic origin;
  • Practice hospitality by being the first to welcome racial and ethnic newcomers to your church and community;
  • Participate in a variety of racial and ethnic worship experiences;
  • Become fluent in a second language;
  • Engage in self-examination of your feelings and attitudes toward other races, ethnic groups and cultures so that you may be able to identify the barriers that may be inhibiting you to understand, value or affirm them;
  • Discern the effect of public policy issue on persons of other cultures and races before you vote or contact your representative;
  • Recognize that everyone has a cultural heritage; reflect on your own culture and be a good listener to those whose culture may be different from yours;
  • Hold anti-racism and cultural proficiency workshops for your congregation.

What Your Local Church Can Do:

  • Initiate small group Bible Studies exploring God’s call for inclusiveness in church and society;
  • Organize a group that would research and write articles for the church newsletter and develop bulletin board displays highlighting the contributions and gifts that racial and ethnic persons and cultures have given to the human family;
  • Conduct community and church self-study which will discern new initiatives for mission and evangelism in partnership with people of many races and ethnic traditions;
  • Sponsor racism workshops so that people will come to understand and work to alleviate the root causes of racism within church and society;
  • Engage in an intentional listening process both within the congregation and in the community toward the identification of community justice issues which may be jointly addressed by church and community;
  • Provide opportunities to explore the relationship of local issues with global peace and justice issues;
  • Establish partnerships with churches of other racial and ethnic backgrounds.

Words of Inspiration

What Shall I Render Unto God?

In a world divided by hatred, render love
In a world smashed by fear, render faith.

In a world burdened by ethnic strife in eastern Europe,
Render kindness over cruelty.
In a world torn by the Wall of shame,
Render the refreshing spirit of Glasnots and perestroika.

In a world smeared with the pain of hunger and
homelessness, render food and shelter.
In a world tormented by the demons of sexism and
racism, render equality and liberty.

In a world cursed by apartheid,
Render the joybells of freedom.
In a world that disvalues our children,
Render protection and compassion.

In a world unsure about the future,
Render the cup of salvation;
Render the shield of faith.
Pay your own vows unto the Lord.

E. Hammond Oglesby, Ph. D.

In 1993, the 19th General Synod of the United Church of Christ issued a pronouncement, “Calling the United Church of Christ to be a Multeracial and Multicultural Church.” This brochure is brought to you by covenanted ministries of the UCC to encourage discussion, dialogue and action.

The phrase appearing in numerous languages throughout this brochure, “You call us into your church…,” is from the Statement of Faith of the United Church of Christ.