A Message from the Bishop: Election of General Conference Delegates
Grace and peace to you in the name of Christ. I write today related to the composition of our delegation in light of a new ruling released by the United Metho…
Location: Multiple locations and dates - See dates and locations below.
Special Youth Leaders Prsentation
Begin, Re-energize, Re-focus your church’s journey toward racial justice and equity Becoming the Beloved Community: How to Talk About Race in America
Becoming the Beloved Community is a 4-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.
2023 workshops and registration
Registration is $20 per person. Please contact Dr. Richard Guzman at rrguzman@comcast.net to register (unless otherwise noted)
Friendship UMC in Bolingbrook
March 18, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
305 E Boughton Rd, Bolingbrook, IL
Rochelle UMC
April 15
709 Fourth Ave, Rochelle, IL
Special Youth Leaders Prsentation
Discipling Anti-racism Youth (DAY) 2nd quarter event
April 29
Naperville: Community UMC, 20 N Center St., Naperville, IL.
Registration for this event here.
Questions? contact Deacon Sharon Rice at deacon_sharon@hotmail.com.
Trinity UMC in Mt. Prospect
September 30
605 W. Golf Road, Mt. Prospect, IL
Community UMC in Naperville
October 14
20 N Center St, Naperville, IL
First UMC in Glen Ellyn
October 28
424 Forest, Glen Ellyn, IL
Hinsdale UMC
November 11
945 S Garfield Ave, Hinsdale, IL
Are you interested in hosting a workshop at your church, in your cluster, or in your district?
Please contact Dr. Richard Guzman at rrguzman@comcast.net for 2023 open spots.
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.
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).