Cleveland Park Congregational UCC and our denomination, the United Church of Christ (UCC), are committed to racial justice and to actively examining our own racial bias as we work to dismantle the structures of racism in church and society.
Doing justice, seeking peace, and building connections in our community are central to our church’s identity. We live this out by publicly saying Black Lives Matter, and in doing so, we resist societal values of supremacy, superiority, and complacency. By insisting on the intrinsic worth of all human beings, Jesus models for us how God loves unconditionally, teaching his disciples to love justly in a world of inequality.
The killing of George Floyd and other Black Americans in 2020 served as a catalyst for our congregation to renew its commitment to building a stronger faith-based movement for peace, justice, equality, and inclusivity. Since then, congregation members have met regularly to discuss racial justice in book groups and other educational programs. We have also created a racial justice lending library, held and participated in Black Lives Matter Rallies, and conducted a comprehensive racial justice audit of our church.
Our Mission & Social Action Committee supports local organizations that prioritize racial justice, and our congregation speaks out on behalf of Black, Brown, and Indigenous people in our community, country, and world.