I was in the shower, thanking the Lord for the blessing of hot water, when I suddenly stumbled over the word "blessing." Rather boldly, I asked, "Lord, if blessings mean things like available water, sufficient food, shelter, etc., does that mean that the millions of people who don't have these things are not blessed?" Clearly this was a rhetorical question whose answer must be "no," but I needed some new thoughts about this notion of being blessed.
The Justice and Racial Reconciliation Team has created a website where we've been collecting and organizing the resources we have sent to our newsletter readers over the past two-and-a-half years. https://www.belpresjustice.org
For people who are new to the group, there's a Where Do I Start page that provides a short list to get you started on your Christ-centered understanding of justice and racial reconciliation. Our Learning Resources section is divided by type: books, movies and videos, podcasts, etc. Each entry has links to detailed descriptions elsewhere online to sites such as Amazon.com and IMDB.com.
If you're looking for things to watch or read while you're staying at home, we've got some suggestions from Anthony Ballard, BelPres Pastoral Resident for Justice & Racial Reconciliation. And if you missed the Maundy Thursday service, be sure to check out Anthony's BelPres preaching debut! (https://www.facebook.com/BelPresChurch/videos/217587372802681/)
We're excited to announce that we now have a public group on the BelPres website for Justice & Racial Reconciliation! This will be a place where you can find out about our events and connect to our resources, including events that are not always accessible on the public BelPres website. To join the group, click here.
Or you can navigate through the website:
- Go to BelPres.org
- Under Connect, click on Groups
- Click on Spiritual Growth Groups
- Click on Justice & Racial Reconciliation and join the group.
Once you've joined, feel free to check it out! All of our upcoming dates are listed, and if you click on the Resources tab, you'll find links to our website and Facebook page.
If you have any questions or need help, email
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 3
Time: 1:00-2:30 pm
Location: Crossroads Community Center, 16000 NE 10th St, Bellevue
RSVP: Yes please, it's appreciated!
Have you ever thought about how games can be a tool to learn about culture, history and tradition? In December's Cultural Conversations, WA native and UW professor, Dr. Jeanette Bushnell will share as educator and citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians in North Dakota why and how she and her partners developed an educational game, Potlatch: A game about Economics. Sharing her insights Jeanette will provide an overview of Potlatch, and what we can learn about local native people, history, language, and cultural values.
If you attended Frames and Filters and would love to hear more from Tali, you'll want to participate in Wonder, Heartbreak & Hope: Why Your Work Matters on Sunday mornings in September. Ryan Beattie will lead this class exploring God's original purpose for work, the unavoidable brokenness we all experience, and how our work can be a primary means to bring Jesus’ healing. On Sept. 29, Tali Hairston will join Ryan to go deeper into one aspect of this: race in the workplace.
Join us on Saturday, October 5th as we visit the outstanding exhibit "In Our Shoes" presented by Lake Burien Presbyterian Church. The exhibit shares the history and reflections from their recent Justice Pilgrimage to important Civil Rights sites.
Join us for a six-week series exploring how the church can embody the gospel through the love and unity we demonstrate across economic, cultural, and racial divides. Each session will include biblical instruction, a video message from a Christian leader, and group discussion.
Click here to immediately download the study guide.
Join us for dinner immediately in the Community Center prior to the meetings: https://belpres.org/belong/wednesdays
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