For the next four weeks, Reunion will be taking part in a new teaching series called “Gospel & Race.” In this series, we will be exploring how the good news of Jesus calls and prepares us to participate in the struggle for racial justice and reconciliation.

Why Now?

As a white majority community, we know that this sort of conversation can--at times--be difficult or uncomfortable. At the same time, there are many amazing members of our church community for whom this conversation is not something that can be ignored because the experience of racial discrimination is something they deal with daily. As a church community, we have to hear and understand these experiences if we ever hope to become a truly multicultural community that witnesses to the universal love of God.

At the same time, this topic is not just an internal conversation. We live in a context that has historically been defined by racial injustice and oppression, and this context lives. Today, racial inequity shapes the economic, social, and even geographic landscape of our country and city. Likewise, we have recently seen a sharp rise in racist hate speech and violence.

We are a community with a simple mission: helping people find their way back to God. That journey is a path back to wholeness and healing, both for us as individuals and as a community. In Luke 4, Jesus said he came to proclaim good news to the poor, liberation for prisoners, sight for the blind, and freedom for the oppressed (Luke 4:16-20). That is the God we journey towards, and those are the things we are called to do as we seek to discover Jesus, become like Jesus, and do what Jesus did.

Series Features

This series will be different from a typical teaching series. So, here is what you can expect as we embark on this journey:

Guest Speakers. 

We wanted to give space to listen and learn from the amazing leaders of color working in our broader community. Three of the four messages will be given by our guests, and talks will be given through a mix of in-person and video formats. Get excited about this amazing lineup!

• February 6 - Matt Chin, Reunion Church
• February 13 - Rashad Clemons, Reality Church Boston
• February 20 - Jeannette Yep, Grace Chapel
• February 27 - Pierce VanDunk, Antioch Church

Continued Conversation in Community Groups

This conversation is so much bigger than what we could discuss on a Sunday morning. We wanted to ensure everyone had a chance to wrestle and discuss and share their own experiences. During the series, our community groups will be dedicating their time to discussing what we hear on Sunday and taking the conversation further. If you are not connected to a group, now is the perfect time to get involved!

 Continued Action

One of Reunion's core values is its desire to be a “local expression of the kingdom.” For us, that means being a community that values the multiple perspectives and experiences that make up the cultural mosaic of Boston. We cannot help people find their way back to God if we cannot create a community where all people are welcome. To that end, we see this series as a large first step in becoming a truly multicultural church. Over the next weeks, months, and years we will do the hard work of helping our church reflect the perfectly just and deeply diverse kingdom of God.

This is such an important time in the life of Reunion, and we are so grateful we get to do this together. If you have any questions about the series, or would like to dialogue more about how Reunion can be a more just and inclusive community, please reach out to one of our location pastors, Jeff (Metro) and Nathan (North).