Ministry of Racial Justice & Reconciliation (MRJR)
at Bethany North
mission of the Ministry of Racial Justice & Reconciliation at Bethany.
Who We Are
The Ministry of Racial Justice and Reconciliation is an initiative across all Bethany Community Church campuses in the greater Seattle area. The work of MRJR has been growing for over four years. Each campus has its own MRJR team that is part of the church-wide ministry, whose leaders from all campuses meet quarterly.
We believe all people are created in the image of God and we need to embrace and lift up different experiences, perspectives, approaches, and expressions of God's image to get the fullest understanding of God.
Our Role in the Church
Racial injustice has a long evil history in the U.S. and the Church has been complicit. We must not be complacent in the face of racial injustice that continues in America. We believe Christ is calling us to bear witness to racial injustice and step into the difficult work toward healing and reconciliation.
The MRJR team at Bethany North works with church leadership and staff to 1) educate ourselves and the church body, 2) seek justice and reconciliation within the church by supporting staff and congregants of color and identifying and dismantling unjust structures within the church, and 3) seek justice and reconciliation outside the church in the community around us.
"He has shown thee, oh man, what is good and what the Lord requires of thee; to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God"
-Micah 6:8
Get Involved, Engaged, or Supported
If you have encountered racism, particularly within Bethany North, the MRJR team is here to support you and work toward change and healing. If you are interested in learning more about racial justice, or in following Jesus in its pursuit, the MRJR team has opportunities and guidance to offer. Please email us at mrjrnorth@churchbcc.org for more information.
Ministry of Racial Justice and Reconciliation Guide
Our team has compiled this comprehensive MRJR Guide of resources for you to explore. This guide is a starting point to help educate and identify further resources for your life-long journey to end racism. Educating yourself is important and the best entry into anti-racism work. Only you and the Holy Spirit can do this difficult work for yourself. Reject the desire to ask BIPOC folks (black, indigenous, People of Color) to explain racism to you. They do not need your lack of knowledge to be added to their burdensome experiences of racism. This is not meant to shame, but to further open our eyes to God's reconciling work of the systemic racism in our land.
The Bridge to Racial Unity Study Group (next session TBD)
Below is a description of the 10-session study group the MRJR team is currently attending. When the next session is scheduled, we will update those details here with a link to register.
Do you have a heart to help heal the racial division in our country and our church? Do you desire to work toward racial unity, but don’t know where to start? Have you wondered why Pastors Scott and Raoul are saying racial reconciliation is a discipleship matter?
Come join Pastor Raoul and the North Ministry of Racial Justice and Reconciliation team for a 10-session study on the key steps in the racial reconciliation process: Awareness, Acknowledgement and Lament, Guilt and Shame, Confession, Forgiveness, Repentance, Reparation, Restoration, and Reproduction. Each session involves studying a passage of Scripture, reading background information, sharing personal experiences (and listening to those of others), and prayer. Between sessions, group members are expected to complete educational and experiential homework assignments.