Christmas Institute in July Grows Youth Disciples in the Filipino-American Tradition
The 2026 Christmas Institute in July, a beloved Filipino-American United Methodist tradition, gathered 21 youth, 23 pastors and deaconesses,…
Location: Multiple locations and dates. See dates and locations below.
Becoming the Beloved Community:
Begin, Re-energize, Re-focus your church’s journey
Saturday, May 18
Becoming the Beloved Community:
How to Talk About Race in America
Begin, Re-energize, Re-focus your church’s journey
toward racial justice and equity
Becoming the Beloved Community is a four-hour workshop that conveys not only facts and essential knowledge about race and racism but also seeks to help us experience some of the harm and hurt racial prejudice has caused.
Part 2
Saturday, May 18
9 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Aurora: Wesley UMC, 14 N May St., Aurora
No Cost
All Youth Leaders or those desiring to work with youth are welcome.
A conversation about being an anti-racist church began amongst Youth Leaders from around the conference at Wesley UMC in Aurora on Sat., April 13. However, more needs to be said and done. Discipling Anti-racist Youth (DAY), a collaboration between the Anti-racism and Discipleship Task Forces, invites Youth Leaders and those desiring to work with youth back to continue the conversation. (Read about Part 1)
Join Dr. Richard Guzman as he discusses and engages with Youth Leaders to wrestle with and share insights on leading youth to grow into critical-thinking, racial justice-minded followers of Jesus Christ.
Please join this discussion starting with breakfast followed by a 2-hour workshop. There is no cost, but registration is required.
Are you interested in hosting a workshop at your church, in your cluster, or in your district?
For more information, contact Dr. Richard Guzman at rrguzman@comcast.net.
The Anti-racism Task Force’s Becoming the Beloved Community workshop was created by a team of Champion Team members led by Dr. Richard Guzman. This 4-hour workshop conveys facts and essential knowledge about race and racism and seeks to help participants experience some of the harm and hurt racial prejudice has caused.
- The workshop emphasizes engagement, not confrontation
To make progress on race, we have to stay engaged, even with people we disagree with. - Small groups meet after each presentation session
Trained facilitators lead in story sharing, helping people connect personally with the presentations. - It re-balances our view of the personal vs. the systemic
Though we talk about the harm personal racism causes, we also have to become “systemically aware.” - Relationships are paramount
The workshop seeks to lay the groundwork for friendships and alliances that will fight racism together. - The workshop is media-rich and remains respectful while confronting hard issues.
The pilot workshop was held on Sat., Sept. 11, 2021, at Friendship United Methodist Church in Bolingbrook. Since then, three other churches held a workshop at Glencoe: North Shore UMC, Elmhurst: First UMC, and Elgin: First UMC in the Spring of 2022.
About The Facilitator
Dr. Richard R. Guzman
Dr. Richard R. Guzman, facilitator, is professor emeritus at North Central College where he taught writing, literature, race/ethnicity, and social change and is active in his family’s foundation, Emmanuel House. He serves as a consultant on anti-racism initiatives for the Northern Illinois Conferenceof the United Methodist Church and headed the committee that produced the Becoming the Beloved Community workshop.
The BBC Planning Team is Dr. Richard Guzman (Bolingbrook: Friendship), Tom Butler (Evanston: First UMC), Lennox Iton (Hinsdale UMC), Rev. Tennille Power (Chicago: Hazel Crest Community UMC), Donna Sagami (Chicago: Ravenswood Fellowship), and Buzz Wheeler (Sycamore UMC).