"So You Want to Talk About Race" - Week 2

In Chapter 1, "Is it really about race?," The author states: "It is about race if a person of color thinks it is about race. It is about race if it disproportionately or differently affects people of color. It is about race if it fits into a broader pattern of events that disproportionately or differently affect people of color."

After reading the author's explanation of these points, can you think of social or political issues that many people currently believe are not about race, but actually may be?

Which of the above guidelines for understanding when it is about race fit those issues?

August Missions Update

Here is how we’ve been using our resources to put love into action in the world.

YTD August 2019 Grace UCC Mission Spending Description

  • Food (ShopRite) gift cards – $300

  • Modification of a vehicle to improve accessibility for a wheelchair user – $675

  • Pastoral counseling meals – $56.46

  • Medical bill assistance – $514.80

  • Family Promise support – $900

  • Kiva loans – $350

  • Support for Leukemia and Lymphoma research – $150

"So You Want to Talk About Race" - Week 1 of 10

This week we will begin our interfaith book reading and discussion of “So You Want to Talk About Race,” by Ijeoma Oluo.

If you want to participate you still have time to RSVP. You can join the discussion group that will be meeting weekly, or you can read along a home.

If you are attending the discussion group you can purchase the book at the first meeting. If you will be reading along at home, you can order it online (don’t forget to use Amazon Smile so Grace gets a small donation)!

Our at-home readers can follow-along here on the blog, where we will post discussion group questions. You may also submit your own questions to be presented to the group.

Family Promise Volunteer Opportunity

Dear Grace,

Welcome back from the Labor Day Holiday. The summer is officially over. And it is time to get those well rested hands back to work serving our Lord.

Our next opportunity to show our congregational love for others is the Family Promise hosting starting on Sunday (next week).

The Family Promise guests will be at Lebanon Baptist Camp. We supported them at that location back in May. And there is some good news to share. One of the families that we first saw back at that May hosting found an apartment! Many of us bonded closely with the mother, who was a nurse at the women’s prison, her daughter who was attending RVCC, and the mother’s sister. That family moved to an apartment this past weekend and will not be in the Family Promise shelter network now. We will miss our friendly conversations with them, but let the church say “Amen!”

Bill Taylor

Here is the link to volunteer for the hosting slots. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090448aea623a1fe3-family4