Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose.
1 Corinthians 1:10 "
FACT OF THE WEEK
Did you know that the segregationist policies of the early-to-mid 20th century dramatically altered the urban terrain of metropolitan Detroit and other major U.S. cities? Through a tactic called "redlining", federal agencies and local governments drew boundaries around minority communities that they thought to be "in decline" or "unsafe". Labeling these neighborhoods "risky", mortgage companies would deny black families loans to improve their houses or to buy property in other areas of the city. This resulted in the cultural, physical, and political isolation of minority communities as well as a host of other problems: "redlined" communities were more likely to be heavily policed, to experience a decline in basic city services, and to have an unsteady or declining job market. Though "redlining" is no longer an acceptable practice today thanks to the Fair Housing Act of 1968, the lasting effects of the policy and others like it are apparent. In 2016, black loan applicants in the city of Detroit were 1.8 times more likely to be denied a housing loan than their fellow white citizens. In the same year, the average denial rate for black applicants in the Detroit metro area was 22%, much higher than any other racial category.
ADULTS
In The Color of Law (published in May 2017), Richard Rothstein argues with exacting precision and fascinating insight how segregation in America - the incessant kind that continues to dog our major cities and has contributed to so much recent social strife - is the byproduct of explicit government policies at the local, state, and federal levels.
FAMILIES & CHILDREN
“The Berenstain Bears’ New Neighbors”by Stan & Jan Berenstain
This classic Berenstain Bears story is a perfect way to teach children about the importance of accepting others just as they are!
This initiative was formed through the collaboration of King of kings' pastoral leadership, the God's Work Our Hands group and the Anti-Racism Task Force. These will be a series of individual opportunities for education, reading and prayerful consideration in preparation of a Prayer Walk for justice to be held in April 2021.