Many of you know that for the past year our church has been on a more intentional journey to live more fully and authentically into the work of anti-racism. In my congregational letter on July 10, 2020, I wrote:
Like Coronavirus, we cannot — I repeat, we cannot — directly eliminate racism. The need to bias is deeply rooted in the human heart and anti-blackness is deeply ingrained in American culture. We cannot touch it with our hands, remove it from our bodies directly, or close our eyes and will it to go away. But like any virus, we can awaken to its reality; we can educate ourselves about its symptoms and causes; we can nurture an environment, a system that is diverse enough, strong enough, and healthy enough to fight off the infection. We can and should do all this, not only for our own good but for the good of others.
Later that very month, a small group of people at OSC came together to begin learning how we could nurture a more anti-racist environment at OSC. During the fall and winter of 2020, our church came together as a whole to re-envision our Mission Commitment, and unanimously added this priority to our mission:
Pursue anti-racism, racial justice, and racial healing in ways that produce healthier, deeper, and more invested relationships.
Then, in January 2021, some of those same people came together to form an Anti-Racism Team at OSC. Since that time, this team has worked quietly and tirelessly behind the scenes to create a racial healing ministry that is relational, honest, and challenging in the very best possible way .
Today I am excited to announce that the Anti-Racism Team is ready to launch this ministry, called “No Greater Love”, with an introductory group starting on September 14th.
“No Greater Love” is, of course, a reference to Jesus’ words on John 15:13:
No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
This posture of self-sacrificial love perfectly illustrates the posture of anyone doing anti-racist work. And for that reason, it can be deeply, personally challenging and stretching. The No Greater Love Anti-Racism Group offers a safe, relational, and grace-filled space to do this personal work in community.
Space is limited, so if learning to become more anti-racist is important to you, then I highly encourage you to sign-up for this introductory group.
Blessings,
Rev. Jason Coker
Lead Pastor