By Will Fenton-Jones*

The East Ohio Conference and The United Methodist Church are committed to Stand Against Racism.

As part of this commitment, the East Ohio Conference Connectional Ministries office Multicultural Ministries team has been collaborating with the Heartland Conference of the United Church of Christ to create an opportunity for clergy and laity to connect with one another around anti-racism. Churches across both conferences have engaged in reading, book studies, learning engagements, and dialogues around the subject of anti-racism in a desire to connect with others who are learning and working towards the same equitable future and to find opportunities to take action together.

The first fruit of our shared ecumenical ministry to stand against racism is a pro-racial equity network that will meet once a month on Zoom. Laity and clergy are invited to participate in the first meeting of the pro-racial equity network at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 11, 2024.

Future meetings of the pro-racial equity network will take place every second Thursday of the month and will focus on a framework of “Come and Learn, Come and Do, Come and Change.” Come and Learn meetings will feature special guests, speakers, and experts who can share their knowledge and resources with the group. Come and Do meetings will be opportunities to work together to develop strategies for your own community and context. Come and Change meetings will range from action-oriented Zoom meetings to in-person opportunities to enact the change we want to see in our communities and organizations for racial equity.

Members of the East Oho Conference Anti-Racism team, members of the East Ohio Methodist Federation for Social Action, and a group of clergy and laity from the Heartland Conference of the United Church of Christ have been involved with the planning and preparation for this network. Our shared hope for this network is that it connects individuals and groups with others who are journeying on the path toward racial reconciliation.

Article VI of The United Methodist Constitution states that we believe that the Lord of the church is calling Christians everywhere to strive toward unity. Part of that striving means linking arms with our ecumenical partners to do this hard and difficult work.

I’m really excited about the opportunity to do this work with our ecumenical partners. My hope is that United Methodists across our East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church will meet United Church of Christ folks where you live and work and know that you are not alone in your desire for racial equity in your community.

Conference Minister Rev. Dr. David Long-Higgins for the Heartland Conference of the United Church of Christ has shared, “The work of building pro-racial equity is too large and too important to pretend any one denomination can engage this calling by itself. I am thrilled by this opportunity for the Heartland Conference to collaborate with the East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church.”

As part of our commitment to Stand Against Racism, this pro-racial equity network will be both an opportunity to work together in building beloved community and an opportunity for anti-racism work in identifying the ways we have fallen short and then to repent and seek to repair.

Learn more and register to participate in the pro-racial equity network Zoom conversations.
Visit the Stand Against Racism resource page.

* Will Fenton-Jones is the Connectional Ministries office Multicultural Ministries director in the East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church.