Sundays | April 11 - May 30
3:00 - 4:30 pm via Zoom
Cost: $10 to cover materials (scholarships are available)

"Be the Bridge" is a non-profit organization and a community of people who share a common goal of creating healthy dialogue about race and racialization in the U.S., with an emphasis on promoting understanding about racial disparities and injustices.

This class is a Christianity-based training offered by Be the Bridge and facilitated by local Kansas City Be the Bridge Leaders. This class is for community members who are ready to take the next step in unpacking the spiritual and systemic root causes of racism on an 8-week journey towards becoming a bridge-builder for racial reconciliation.

The $10 is to cover the cost of materials. Scholarships are available for those who need them.

Questions? Contact Pastor Patrick McLaughlin - patrick.mclaughlin@cor.org

About your facilitators:

Elizabeth Behrens works as an independent contractor for non-profits, schools, businesses, churches, and organizations who desire to see change at both personal and cultural levels. Motivated by goals of justice and equity, she works predominantly with fellow members of majority culture, utilizing research and personal experience to understand the role they play in the world at large. She has experience as a keynote speaker, breakout session leader, podcast guest, curriculum writer, online community manager, and video instructor in the areas of race and racism - with focuses on whiteness, race-conscious parenting, transracial adoption, and US history.

Having spent her entire upbringing in the suburbs of Iowa, upon graduation from high school she moved to southern California to pursue both education and stage performance goals. After a couple years of more performing than schooling, she returned to Iowa to receive her Bachelor’s degree - double majoring in Elementary and Middle Level Education - and became an 8th grade teacher. A move to Kansas City, Missouri and four children later, she has shifted from teaching children to focusing her efforts mainly on adults. She is still most at home in front of a classroom, sharing her love of learning.

When Elizabeth is not busy parenting or working, she can be found in her garden listening to audiobooks and podcasts or sneaking away for a happy hour with friends.

With grace, truth and a little bit of sass, Michelle Keller has made the most of many teachable moments--those sometimes awkward moments that provide a springboard for sharing knowledge while slaying inaccurate assumptions.

Growing up in a military family, Michelle has traveled extensively and truly believes "travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness..." as Mark Twain so eloquently expressed. Some of her most favorite travel memories were formed on a trip to London with her older brother; a solo trip to Scotland; a grand tour of Ireland; and a three-week jaunt to Greece which included a short cruise around the Greek islands.

When not traveling, she can be found volunteering for causes near and dear to her heart, including providing greyhounds with the cushiest retirement home imaginable.

Here at Church of the Resurrection, Michelle's served as a high school small group leader; a cabin leader at YouthFront (for both summer camp and Fall's Metamorphosis retreat); a chaperone for a legendary winter retreat (ask her about the blizzard that hit just as they arrived in Denver); and a congregational care minister.

She has also made two Serve Trips to Puerto Rico and looks forward to returning when travel restrictions are lifted. Besides practicing her Spanish and eating amazing food, she's grown quite fond of the community members who call Samuel Culpepper Methodist Church home and looks forward to a family-like reunion.

Michelle credits her parents and grandparents for her strong faith, and looks forward to helping others grow in their journey to as we work together to build an equal and just community here "on Earth, as it is in heaven."

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:

• May 15, 2021(Saturday)
• July 21, 2021 (Wednesday)
• August 14, 2021(Wednesday)
• 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.