Wednesdays in June, 6:30-7:45 PM
Watch on cor.org/live

But the end is reconciliation; the end is redemption; the end is the creation of the beloved community. It is this type of spirit and this type of love that can transform opposers into friends…. It is this love which will bring about miracles in the hearts of men. — Dr. Martin Luther King

In the summer of 2020, we explored what it meant to live into the “Beloved Community” that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. envisioned – a society based on justice, equal opportunity, and love of one’s fellow human beings. This June we continue the conversations we started with a deeper dive into issues of race, scripture and what it means to be in relationship with one another.

Join members of our Community Justice team in conversation for this 4-week class about gaining empathy and embracing our Christian responsibilities within the Beloved Community.

Week 1: A Conversation with Resurrection Staff
Week 2: Justice & Righteousness with former Missouri Supreme Court Justice Chip Robertson
Week 3: The Church as Beloved Community with Great Plains UMC District Superintendent Dee Williamston
Week 4: TBA

Watch online on cor.org/live or join us in person at Resurrection Leawood in the Foundry.

Did you miss a session? Or want to catch up on the classes from last summer? Check out our Beloved Community recordings page.

The Juneteenth holiday commemorates the emancipation of enslaved people in The United States. Even though the Emancipation Proclamation officially ended slavery in 1863, enslaved people living under Confederate control were not immediately freed, including those in Texas. On June 19, 1865, that changed, when Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, TX and notified the 250,000 enslaved black people in the state that they were free by executive decree.

Learn more about Juneteenth:

• The Historical Legacy of Juneteenth (Website: National Museum of African American History)
• Juneteenth (YouTube Video: All About the Holidays - PBS Kids)
• What is Juneteenth? (Podcast: First Name Basis)

Celebrate Juneteenth in Kansas City

Juneteenth KC - 18th & Vine

JuneteenthKC is Kansas City, Missouri's premier community heritage celebration and is hosted annually within the 18th & Vine Historic District. Learn more at Juneteenth-KC.com

• Cultural Parade: Saturday, June 12th, starting at 12:00 PM, marching from 18th & Benton into the heart of the 18th & Vine Historic Jazz District
• Heritage Festival: Saturday, June 19th, starting at 12:00 PM
  

Juneteenth Freedom Celebration Day - Avenue of Life

Join Avenue of Life in Kansas City, KS for a kid-friendly Juneteenth celebration with free food, face painting, a bouncy house and more! See the flyer.

10:30 AM - 12:30 PM at Avenue of Life (500 N 7th Street Trf, KCK 66101)

Serve on Juneteenth

On Saturday, June 19, Resurrection volunteers will join with volunteers from Avenue of Life to help with the celebration. You can sign up to serve that morning at Avenue of Life, or check out our other great Kansas City opportunities! Sign up to serve.

6 Ways White People Can Observe Juneteenth

From "Juneteenth: Staying the Course of Freedom and Flourishing for All" by the General Commission on Religion and Race of the UMC.

1. Respectfully attend or volunteer at events. Ask your local sponsor of Juneteenth events and your Black friends, colleagues, and church friends how you can help. Volunteer for the clean-up/set-up crews. Help staff information booths, if appropriate. If you attend as a guest, be respectful. Do not wear African daishikis or kente cloth without first asking permission. While you may intend it as appreciation, others may view it as cultural appropriation.
   
   
2. Preach and teach about the current face of racism. Many white people have been socialized to see racism as a challenge of the distant past. However, full voting rights and equal education for African Americans were not granted until the 1950s and 1960s. In The United Methodist Church, some annual conferences had legalized racism until the 1970s. The U.S. Church is still largely segregated in worship and work. White Christians must grapple with their role in perpetrating racism and work to heed God’s call to “let justice roll down.” Use sermons, worship, and church media to educate and inspire your congregation.
   
   
3. Support Black churches, charities, and businesses. Make a regular tithe or donation to a local African American church, a United Methodist campus ministry at a historically Black college or university, or community ministry or scholarship-fund supporting Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. Make deliberate efforts to support Black-owned businesses and services.
   
   
4. Listen and read. Juneteenth offers an opportunity for white friends and family to learn more about the realities African-Americans face and the contributions they make to the church, community, and world. Listen to this podcast with Jasmine Bradshaw, which further explains Juneteenth history and ways your family can celebrate the holiday.
   
   
5. Confront the history in your community. Learn about the history of enslaved Black people in your local area and state. Explore the history of your church and its leaders and develop ways that your congregations can make tangible amends and reparations.
   
   
6. Church school and small groups: Discuss Juneteenth’s history and current implications for African Americans. Invite a local Black history teacher or museum curator to speak, or watch the Ava DuVernay’s Netflix documentary, 13th: From Slave to Criminal with one Amendment, which explores the U.S. journey from the enslavement of Black people to the school-to-prison pipeline. A study guide for the film is available.

Cultural Competency Training

Cultural Competency training is required before serving in on-going Kansas City Mission programs in order to provide a safe environment for all those we serve. Empowering and educational, this training will provide each participant with a heightened awareness about our neighbors and cross-cultural interactions. Those who need this training may be interested in serving on the bookmobile, at the food pantry, as a tutor, or in a classroom at one of our partner schools. Additionally, individuals who are interested in serving with our partner organizations should plan to take this training.

Upcoming Training Dates (Registration is required)

All classes will take place over Zoom from 9 am - 11 am.
Seating is limited and classes not meeting a minimum size may be rescheduled. Please be sure to carefully select an appropriate date.

Click on the date below to register for the training:

• July 21, 2021 (Wednesday)
• August 21, 2021(Saturday)
• September 22, 2021 (Wednesday)
• October 16, 2021(Saturday)
• November 3, 2021 (Wednesday)

Safe Gatherings certification is also required for those working in the schools or entering people's homes for furnishings pickups. If you are not already Safe Gatherings certified (certification lasts four years) you can begin that process here.