Rev. Dr. Damaris D. Whittaker Sermon: Ferocious Roots:Racism – 07 12 20 Sermon
Fort Washington Church – July 12, 2020

I walk to a wall made of 216 interconnected, 8 x 10 photos of “black lives taken by racial violence.” Memories of standing before a pile of shoes at Auschwitz come to mind. I try to imagine the full, robust life of each person whose life—whose infinite, valuable, beautiful life—was snuffed out because of racial violence.

Though I am gone, I urge you to answer the highest calling of your heart and stand up for what you truly believe.

Dr. Wiggins goes into detail about growing up and figuring out what he wanted to do with his life, as well as how all that led to his position at the NAACP. 

A service centered around the Theology of Hamilton.

In the fourth episode of the Born Black Faith & Reason series, Debo and Catherine Young chat with Normella Walker, Director of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Brigham Health hospital. Walker talks about diversity in the workplace, as well as the importance of organizations’ roles in civic responsibility and social justice issues.

A 95-page, full color collection of art, essays, questions and practices to liberate our spiritual imaginations. On this global pilgrimage, you will encounter ten ancient images (reimagined by one of Christena’s favorite modern artists) of the Black female Divine ranging from She Who Clears Our Path to She Who Declares that You are Enough to She Who is Unapologetically Black — and beyond!

When America lost John Lewis, who died last weekend at age 80, part of our nation’s moral compass was silenced. Many have learned of his remarkable life story: the child of poor Alabama sharecroppers who — through deep moral convictions — came to be known as the “conscience of Congress.”

In Remembrance: Growing up the son of an Alabama sharecropper, John Lewis practiced preaching to the chickens; from whence he clearly developed his oratorical style. He matured and went on to devote a lifetime of service as the “conscience” of the Congress; often preaching, as it were, to a flock of chickens of another sort. But this time with a calmer, constant, steady and unwavering voice.

All Lives Matter, but have you seen what my people are going through?

Rabbi Brian & Devin Daugherty talk to people who are looking to become anti-racists. Enjoy.

Whenever we are engaging difficult issues in a complex and multicultural world, vocabulary and language can either help us understand one another — even in our disagreement — or fail us, and add to misunderstandings. When it comes to the issue of “re-imagining” policing or “defunding” police forces, language is failing us.

Black lives matter.  Not at the expense of other lives.  By affirming that Black lives matter in this moment in history, all lives matter more. It is worth reflecting on why and how this is true.

As a nation, we are experiencing our own awakening right now. We are in the midst of an uprising for Black lives the world has never seen. Millions of us are flooding the streets, risking our lives, to call for justice since George Floyd’s public lynching. Millions more are rising up in solidarity. Revolutionary love is when you are brave enough to see no stranger.

This Fourth of July, Americans are being forced to see the nation’s celebration for independence differently. The combination of the coronavirus pandemic, which has disproportionately affected Black Americans, and the ongoing protests in response to the police killing of George Floyd have brought attention to this nation’s centuries-old history of anti-Black violence. 

The past few weeks since George Floyd’s death have been a long overdue wake up call to not only America, but to the world about Systemic Racism and how it affects the lives of Black people in the United States.

The United Church of Christ has a long history of working towards eradicating systemic and institutional racism. In 2003 General Synod 24 adopted a resolution calling for the UCC to be an anti-racist church stating that “racism is rooted in a belief of the superiority of whiteness and bestows benefits, unearned rights, rewards, opportunities, advantages, access, and privilege on Europeans and European descendants.”

It’s time for everyone who cares about the state of our nation to heed the call and join forces to redeem the soul of America.