{"id":25607,"date":"2025-07-08T03:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-08T03:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/?p=25607"},"modified":"2025-07-09T16:19:08","modified_gmt":"2025-07-09T16:19:08","slug":"standing-with-people-of-color-report-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/2025\/standing-with-people-of-color-report-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Standing with People of Color Coordinating Committee brings its final report"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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By Frances Townsend<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The delegate body received the final report of the Standing with People of Color Coordinating Committee (known at this Conference as unfinished business item one), following a study\/action process begun by the 2022 Annual Conference. (Find a link to a pdf document of the study committee\u2019s report and recommendations at www.brethren.org\/ac2025\/business<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The multi-year process was put in motion to \u201cencourage congregations to study the teachings of Jesus and how they apply to our relationships with all people of color, to express solidarity with all people of color, to offer sanctuary from all forms of violence, and identify and dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions, and then begin to live out those findings by being Jesus in the neighborhood.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With its final report, the committee did not bring recommendations. Their work of the past three years to develop study materials, lists of resources, and practices for healing racism are meant to be tools for the church to continue this much-needed work.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A tool that has received broad support is the \u201c7 Prompts\u201d training, which continues to be available to congregations and districts.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The Standing with People of Color Coordinating Committee brings its final report to the Annual Conference. At the lectern is Bruce Rosenberger, a member of the committee from Southern Ohio and Kentucky District, which is the district that helped initiate this study\/action process. Photo by Keith Hollenberg<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, a new role in congregational leadership was developed as part of this committee\u2019s work, the Racial Justice Advocate. Materials about this are available through the On Earth Peace website, as are other materials under the heading Standing with People of Color at www.onearthpeace.org\/swpoc<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As they concluded their work, the committee remained \u201cconcerned that some people in the Church of the Brethren seem to think that racism is no longer a problem in our society or within or among Brethren.\u201d They are \u201cchallenging others in the Church of the Brethren to become part of a critical mass that will continue calling, equipping, and organizing the church to take its next steps in becoming a Beloved Community that reflects the kingdom of God.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They shared a prayer \u201cthat the Church of the Brethren will welcome people of all cultures and all colors to the honor of Jesus the Christ!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

— Frances Townsend is a pastor in Michigan and a volunteer on the Annual Conference Press Team.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

———-<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find more Church of the Brethren news:<\/p>\n\n\n