Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ), is a nationwide organisation that aims to get white Americans working on behalf of racial justice. So far, three churches in California and one in Iowa City have officially joined.
Speaking to the Washington Post, Rev Anne Dunlap, a United Church of Christ minister who leads SURJ’s outreach to faith communities said: “It’s a big ask to invite us, as white folks, to think differently about what safety means. Who do we rely on? What is safe? For whom?
“Should our safety be predicated on violence for other communities? And if not, what do we do if we’re confronted with a situation, because we are, as congregations? How do we handle it if there’s a burglary? How do we handle it if there’s a situation of violence or abuse in the congregation?”
The churches are training their members in alternate responses to danger.
Nichola Torbet, a volunteer leader at First Congregational Church of Oakland (California), told the paper that leaders from her church have invited experts from nonprofits to train church members to be able to de-escalate mental health crises.
“Our goal is to never call the police,” she said and added that church members decided no one will be armed with weapons as a result of their decision.
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