March 22nd and April 19th, 2022
5:00 pm PT/ 6:00 pm MT/ 7:00 pm CT/ 8:00 pm ET
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89818954461
Atlanta, Georgia, March 10, 2021 – The Asian American Language Ministry Plan, the New Federation of Asian American United Methodists and the Baltimore Washington Annual Conference have been hosting monthly webinars on anti-racism called “Raise Your Voice Against Racism”. The next two webinars will be focused on “How to Be an Anti-Racist Church”.
The webinars will take place on March 22 and April 19th at 5:00 pm PT /8:00 pm ET. We will look at real-life examples of how churches “do” anti-racism work and strive to become anti-racist churches. It is not enough that our churches simply say that we are “not racist”. As Ibram X. Kendi, director of the Antiracist Research and Policy Center at American University, notes in his book How to Be and Antiracist, “it is not enough to simply be “not racist.” The opposite of ‘racist’ isn’t ‘not racist’,” he writes. “It is ‘antiracist‘.
March 22, 2022:
New City Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota Annual Conference
Rev. Tyler Sit
Pastor
Rev. Tyler Sit has had the immense pleasure of being the church planter of New City Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. New City is located only a short walk away from where George Floyd was murdered on May 25, 2020. After George Floyd’s death, New City’s congregation responded immediately. They took part in prayer vigils, created neighborhood safety networks, joined emergency assistance efforts and identified lesser-known community groups to support financially. The church’s commitment to social and environmental justice, anti-racism training and centering marginalized voices of those who are Black, Indigenous, people of color and LGBTQ+ had readied them for the season that followed Floyd’s murder. New City Church and Pastor Tyler have been featured in the New York Times, The Atlantic, Minnesota Public Radio, and more. He is a lover of Minnesota and the son of a Chinese immigrant. Tyler earned a BS in Communication Studies from Boston University and a Masters of Divinity from Candler School of Theology, and he has lived in four continents.
April 19th, 2022:
Christ Church, Fort Lauderdale, Florida Annual Conference
Rev. Brett Opalinski
Lead Pastor, Christ Church
Brett is the lead pastor at Christ Church United Methodist in Fort Lauderdale, a position he has held for the last eight years. He was raised in Lakeland, Florida and has served United Methodist Churches across the state. Brett also has a Ph.D. in Religious and Theological Studies from the University of Denver and has taught adjunct at Barry University. Brett has been a long-time social-justice and civil rights advocate working in issues related to anti-racism, LGBTQ rights, poverty, and criminal justice reform.
Susan Spragg
Co-Chair of Christ Church United Methodist’s Anti-Racism Task Force
Susan is a retired Finance Director/Controller and native of Fort Lauderdale. She returned to Christ and found her home at Christ Church at age 50. She is a Certified Lay Servant, has served on Church Council and, as she points out, just about everything else that involved a dollar sign. She now focuses her service in the justice arena, working on programming, community outreach and collaborations to promote education, conversation and advocacy for anti-racism, equity and social justice.
Marcus Webster – Member of Christ Church United Methodist’s Anti-Racism Task Force
The link for both webinars is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89818954461
