Hello Church!
Do you think we need to be more racially and ethnically diverse? Last Friday the Governing Council met for a retreat. We spent some time watching and discussing Soong-Chan Rah’s keynote address at the NEXT Church conference that I attended in February. His main point: If you want your denomination
[or church] to die, remain 90% ethnically white. He is not trying to threaten, but he has some tough news: In 2011 the children born in the U.S. were over 50% non-white. Five years later, in 2016 for the first time our entering kindergarteners were over 50% non-white (soon we will not be able to say “ethnic minority”). This means our country is moving toward being more racially and ethnically diverse and if we do not move with it, we are in trouble. A recent WREX segment shows our region is no different. That is the warning.
The exciting part is all the opportunities we have as a church to grow and take bold adventures. With our diversity of age and socio-economic status and our open welcoming spirit, we are already well on our way! Does change sound scary? (It does to me!) It is amazing how very little changes can make such a big difference. Have you ever noticed that every picture hanging in our church is of a white person? You may not have, but any person of color who has walked through our doors has noticed and very well may consciously or unconsciously think our church is not for them. How easy it would be for us to highlight some folks of color whom we admire and cast a wider welcome.This was just one of many conversations we had at our retreat and one event in an amazing weekend: a Pop-Up dinner in the parking lot for 90, a beautiful funeral, soup kitchen and a new members class of 11 [3 more at least coming soon]). You all were in full discipleship action! I am grateful for each one of you – your faith, your love, your welcoming energy and your desire to be and do God’s work.
Peace to you,
Rebecca