These past months we have spent a lot of time discussing how we can remain the church together during the acute crisis of a pandemic. But these past months have also reminded us of the chronic crisis of racism that is still present in our country. How can we respond as a church? How can we respond to the call of God who asks as to “do justice” (Micah 6:8)?

In the coming months we will have the opportunity to discuss issues related to racial inequality in our country and how we are called to respond as a church. Click on the book title to purchase.

To begin the discussion, we offer the following books to guide us:

Michelle Alexander, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness

Ta-Nehisi Coates, Between the World and Me

 

Debby Irving, Waking Up White, and Finding Myself in the Story of Race

We encourage you to commit to read a book (or all, if you like) and join in discussions that will happen beginning in late August. We recognize that these books are not necessarily what we would typically read in church; but hope that the encounter with different perspectives will challenge us to live our theological commitments more deeply as we discern how to best embody the Gospel of Jesus Christ in our church life together. Email Will which conversation(s) you’d like to join.  wscott@firstpresdalton.org

(Conversations will either be over zoom or, if conditions are improved, in a safe, physically-distanced manner.)