Bridging the Gap digital handout



The purpose of this summit is to engage in difficult, yet important conversations focusing on race and reconciliation. Keeping Christ at the center, relationship building, and cultivation of community are at the heart of this event. Through this, we can manifest love and understanding and be an example in a world that so desperately needs light. Ultimately, we want to do a better job of living together in a community of Christ. Now it’s your turn! Our prayer is that each of you will leave this summit with a personal action plan for positive change in your daily life, church, and community. To facilitate this, the summit organizers have compiled a list of suggestions for racial reconciliation. You may find some of these ideas resonate with you while others may not. If you have your own ideas and they are not listed, please discuss in your breakout rooms. At the end of this session, you are each encouraged to commit to your personal action plan for racial reconciliation. Starting with those closest to you (family, friends, co-workers), what personal commitment will you make to improve race relations? Pray for peace, understanding, justice, and love to prevail. Expand your personal network to include people of different races. Invite other races to social gatherings like backyard cookouts, game nights, etc. Continue to study and educate yourself about history, situations, causes, etc. that you may not understand. Dig deeper to understand all perspectives on racial issues. Read books and journals that will improve the depth and breadth of your understanding of those who look different than you. Don't be afraid to be introspective and shift your paradigm as it pertains to how you were raised. Be intentional in bringing up the topic of race in conversations. Ask friends of different ethnic groups for their thoughts and feelings about current events involving racial injustice. Do not participate in racially insensitive jokes that degrade another race. Be cognitive of mass media images that stereotypically place ethnic groups in historically compromising positions. Speak up if you observe this happening. Start a neighborhood bible study aimed at building relationships and galvanizing the community. What events should your men’s ministry and/or church coordinate to continue to Bridge the Gap? How will you get involved in these activities? Participate in joint bible studies with other churches. Churches in the Alpharetta area will continue to plan these quarterly. Volunteer to lead a session. Leverage social media to stay informed about activities happening in other churches. Proactively invite other churches to events at your own church. Look for opportunities to participate outside of your own congregation with other races. Have joint worship services several times per year. Ask your own church leadership about getting involved in coordinating these events. Be intentional about stepping out of your comfort zone to worship with those who do not look like you. Establish a racially diverse small group with members from other churches to continue building relationships. Participate in an upcoming Walk to Emmaus. How will you get involved to make positive changes regarding race relations happen in the broader community? Participate with one another in peaceful demonstrations when the next racial injustice occurs. Coordinate community prayer events in times of need. Get involved in community organizations such as OneRace or Souly Business. Coordinate community outreach activities with other churches. Get involved in planning these events and/or participate selflessly. Pair up with someone from a different race to mentor at risk individuals. Coordinate through organizations such as Trinity House. Personal Action Planning Pledge Starting with those closest to me (family, friends, co-workers), I am making a personal commitment to do the following to improve race relations: _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ I commit to improving race relations by getting involved in my church in the following ways: _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ I commit to being a part of positive change in the broader community in the following ways: _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ ................
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