The concept of race was created centuries ago to support a system of enslaving people. We won’t dismantle the effects of this long history of racism through our efforts alone. We won’t even completely dismantle racism and other oppressions in our congregation.

That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to do whatever we can. We can create an environment where white centeredness is acknowledged, challenged, and changed. We can learn from our sometimes-halting progress, one change at a time. We can create a welcoming space that embraces difference, in love.