Kristina Gonzalez offers this short introduction to the ‘Equipping Leaders for Relational Community Work’ webinar series. Originally held in November of 2020 via Zoom, the three engagements are offered on this page as part of the Western Jurisdiction’s ‘Where Love Lives’ campaign.

The United Methodist Church is a 94% white and aging denomination. However, our collective visions – denomination and local congregations – express wishes for greater diversity in leadership, in the pews and in our work in the world. In this time of COVID-19, with a renewed uprising for racial justice, the church must act. But out of what mindset?

Three practitioners have agreed to challenge our thinking regarding mission, community engagement, and cultural humility to help us practice our way into beloved community. They will help us to have eyes and ears to past mistakes and support us in redirection. The learnings will be relevant to us all –Black, Brown, White, LGBTQIA+, immigrant generation, fully-abled or partly disabled – as our collective mindset for ministry has grown from a history of colonization and rescue.