Racial-Bridge Building

We, the people of The United Methodist Church, recognize racism as a sin. With that recognition, we commit to challenging unjust systems of power and access. This page lists some groups you can be a part of and actions you can take with links to resources to help end racism, foster inclusivity and diversity, and to help continue anti-racism efforts.

Bridge Builders Fellowship was created to provide opportunities for establishing relationships and fellowship between the congregations of churches in our community. Bridge Builders Fellowship meets monthly to share life experiences and perspectives, with a focus on racial equity and social justice. Meetings have also included discussion of books/videos and community service projects. Participation is open to anyone interested in being a "bridge builder."

Annual events include Community Forums in February & August, a community-wide Thanksgiving service, 5th Sunday Fellowship & Meals, Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Worship and Juneteenth Celebration.

Groups

Bridge-Builders 2nd Tuesday of the month in The Commons at 7:00 pm. This group occasionally meets at other churches and includes people from Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist, Matthews Presbyterian, Morningstar Lutheran and Matthews UMC.
5th Sunday Fellowship & Lunch is held on Sundays in the spring and fall as we provide a time to meet new friends and share lunch with our neighbors in our Matthews area church partnership.

Resources

As an individual, take the 21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge. "It's all about building new habits. Sometimes the hardest part is just getting started. The good news is, there's an abundance of resources just waiting to empower you to be a more effective player in the quest for equity and justice." -Eddie Moore
Watch the 15th Racial Bridge-Building Community Forum with Katherine Martin, local author of "The Colorful Image of God: A White Christians Guide to Doing Better" and KatherineLearns.com blog.
Watch the 11th Community Forum on Racial-Bridge Building. This online event hosted on February 16, 2021 by Moriah Missionary Baptist, Matthews Presbyterian, First Baptist Church of Matthews, Cross and Crown Lutheran and Matthews United Methodist featured Bishop William Willmon, professor at Duke University and author of "Who Lynched Willie Earle?" Forum Topic: "The Carolinas' Last Lynching" - The February 1947 lynching of Willie Earle in Pickens, SC and the subsequent trial in Greenville, SC attracted international attention. When an all-white jury exonerated Earle's confessed killers, it was a national scandal that led to the formation of the nations first Civil Rights Commission.

Watch the "Brothers" video segment below from The Mile Project which features the relationship between Pastor Chuck and Reverend Larry Whitley of Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist, one project of many racial-bridge building ventures our churches are focused on together. Silent Images created this series of films featuring people from different backgrounds as they collaborate, listen to each other's perspectives, and confront the hard realities surrounding race. The Mile Project offers a shared space for respectful, honest conversation where we can recognize what is broken, but more importantly, commit to the restoring and rebuilding of a more beautiful community together.

Watch "Talking About Race: A conversation with 5 Black women" from WSOC-TV to hear powerful stories about what it’s like to be a black woman in America. Kim Holt, church member and Manager of Investigations & Special Projects at WSOC-TV, was the Executive Producer for the segment.
Watch "Talking About Race: A conversation with 5 Black men" from WSOC-TV, which features our own Leaton Harris in a seven-part series. Kim Holt, church member and Manager of Investigations & Special Projects at WSOC-TV, was instrumental in creating and making the segment possible.
Utilize our special channel on RightNowMedia.org titled Stand Against Racism to access resources for small group and personal study. Set up a FREE account today.
Link to United Methodist Suggested Resources for Becoming Anti-Racist
Link to United Methodists Stand Against Racism, outlining what you can do

Race Matters Video Series

Pastor Chuck Wilson sat down to speak with MUMC member Leaton Harris about the racial issues facing our nation and our town. Watch the first, second and third installments in our "Race Matters: A Journey to Understanding" video series with our very own Pastor Chuck and Leaton Harris:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Black History Month Resources

Celebrate and Participate in Black History Month February 1-March 1.

Resources for Children, Teens and Parents:

Link to Anti-Racism Resources for Teens & the Adults that Love Them: Books, Podcasts, Videos and more for Youth
Link to Books and Resources for Children & Parents compiled by our United Kids Ministry
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Early Childhood professional website provides a resource document with a wealth of resources: Anti-Racism for Parents/Educators of Young Children

Book Recommendations for Adults:

White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
Embrace by LeRoy Barber
Roadmap for Reconciliation by Brenda Salter McNeil
America's Original Sin by Jim Wallis
Anxious to Talk About It by Carolyn B. Helsel
The Myth of Equality by Ken Wytsma
White Picket Fences by Amy Julia Becker
The Third Option by Miles McPherson

The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein
Be The Bridge by Latasha Morrison
Raising White Kids by Jennifer Harvey
Holding Up Your Corner by F. Willis Johnson
How to be an Antiracist by Ibram Kendi
Cousins by Betty Kilby Baldwin & Phoebe Kilby
Inherit The Land by Gene Stowe
So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

United Methodist Church Denominational Resource Links:

UMC General Church Resources | WNC Annual Conference Response | Resources for Learning and Self-Examination | Resources for Community Engagement & Dismantling Racism | Pressing on to Freedom Town Halls, panel discussions and more can be found on United Methodists Stand Against Racism on the UMC site.