In November, three members of the J&RR Team participated in a Racial Justice Pilgrimage to learn from the witness of the Black Church during the Civil Rights Movement and to be formed by their courage, suffering, and hope.
Imagine yourself in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Waves are rolling and crashing, clouds are billowing overhead, and an occasional streak of lightning blazes across the sky. This is where I found myself as I stepped into the Legacy Museum in Montgomery, Alabama.
Over the next few hours, I took a journey through the story of American history from the Transatlantic Slave Trade, to the racial terrorism of lynching, to the codified segregation of the Jim Crow era, to our current system of mass incarceration.
For a week, we were immersed in the history of racial injustice and the witness of those who brought justice and repair as we visited sites in Montgomery, Selma, and Atlanta. Our purpose was not to consume history, but to be changed by it – to listen deeply, to honor the truth, and to discern how God calls us to live differently when we return home.
As we engaged with historical sites and with people who are living out their faith today in their efforts to bring justice and healing to their communities, we learned so much. We learned about injustice in the past and its ongoing consequences and modern equivalents. We learned from the witness of the Black Church, past and present, in addressing injustice through the lens of their faith in Jesus. We learned about the consequences of telling an incomplete and inaccurate history. And we learned about where repair is happening today. As our team debriefed each evening, we dreamed together about ways that we can continue to bring healing and repair as individuals and as a church.
We invite you to check out our trip website to see pictures, hear stories, and learn more about the places we visited. We would also love to have you join us as we share more at our J&RR team meeting on Tuesday, December 9, at 6pm, at the home of Heather Hedlund.