In 2000, members of Church of the Servant began a focused effort to discern how we can become an antiracist church. With the council’s endorsement, an antiracism team of nearly 20 Church of the Servant members began reflecting on this theme, setting goals, and finding ways to promote antiracism and reconciliation in all areas of the church’s life. Some of the outgrowths of this work are described here:

Understanding Racism Workshop

Working in partnership with two other local Christian Reformed congregations — Coit Community Church and Madison Square CRC — we developed the Understanding Racism Workshop to raise awareness and help participants organize for racial reconciliation. The workshop is offered regularly and is led by two trained facilitators, Janice McWhertor from COS and Laura Carpenter from Madison Square. The goals of the workshop are:

  • To see and experience racism in a new and redemptive way
  • To gain insights into systemic racism through the eyes of faith and scripture
  • To see more of the connections between history and contemporary race relations
  • To identify organizing opportunities to eliminate racism, both causes and effects, within the body of believers and throughout the world

Congregations Organizing for Racial Reconciliation (CORR)

The three partner churches that created the Understanding Racism Workshop formed a separate committee, Congregations Organizing for Racial Reconciliation (CORR), to help administer our antiracism work. Here’s what CORR is about:

Mission: We exist to empower and equip churches and other Christian organizations in West Michigan to organize and disciple their members to become agents of institutional and individual racial reconciliation.

Vision: We are a community of churches and Christian organizations who are agents of racial reconciliation.

Values:

  1. Christian. We are dedicated to be more and more conformed to Christ, as individuals and in community.
  2. Collaboration. We are eager to collaborate with interested congregations and other Christian organizations, and utilize other antiracist resources.
  3. Accountability. We are committed, as a multiracial team, to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ, with special attentiveness to the voices of racial groups in church and community who are often left unheard.
  4. Congregational focus. Our ministry is designed to be integrated with the entire life and witness of the local church.
  5. Organizing. We are committed to strategic use of our spiritual and physical resources for long-term effectiveness.

Sister-Church Relationship

Our congregation has formed a sister-church relationship with Coit Community Church in northeast Grand Rapids. Together, we’re working to build relationships and overcome racial barriers through joint worship, outreach events, and times of fellowship.

Information and Advocacy

Current information on the theme of racism is available to members through these means:

  • Resource cart. The Antiracism Team has organized a cart full of antiracism books, movies, and other resources readily available for people to borrow. Look for the cart near the welcome counter in the café area. (View a list of available resources.)
  • Events. Throughout the year, the Antiracism Team plans opportunities to encourage the congregation to learn more about racism and how to dismantle it. Events include movie screenings, scripture studies, and speakers to guide conversation and learning. Our team, the church council, and our staff see the task of fighting racism as an important part of our congregation’s discipleship journey.
  • Publicity. Through bulletin announcements, the Antiracism Team encourages our congregation to take advantage of workshops, seminars, and other opportunities offered throughout greater Grand Rapids.

Synodical Mandate

In 2004, the Christian Reformed Church synod gave an antiracism mandate to the churches. This statement helps motivate us to continue this work. The mandate is “to initiate and provide effective and collaborative training, programs, and organizing actions in ways that mobilize Christian Reformed agencies and educational institutions, as well as classes and congregations, to recognize, expose, and dismantle racism in all its forms and to experience true biblical reconciliation as a diverse and unified people of God.”

Church of the Servant Statement

Church of the Servant updated its antiracism/reconciliation statement in March 2013 (first approved in May 2007):

Vision Statement: Church of the Servant strives to be an antiracist and multiethnic community of faith in Christ that intentionally recognizes, exposes and dismantles racism in all its forms.

Mission Statement:
As a community of believers, we will

  • address the connections between contemporary issues and the history of racism in our country, community and congregation
  • recognize, expose and dismantle racism and its impact in our congregation in new and redemptive ways
  • oppose racism in and beyond our congregation through the eyes of faith and scripture
  • become an antiracist multiracial community, equally honoring every person and proclaiming each precious in Christ.

For more information about these efforts, please contact staff member Janice McWhertor at 956-7611 or jmcwhertor@churchoftheservantcrc.org.