Just Sanctuary Purpose Statement
First Presbyterian Church’s Just Sanctuary supports church leadership and members to live into our Christian values, through actively confronting systemic racism in First Presbyterian Church of Kalamazoo and working toward a more just practice of our faith in our community and with our Kalamazoo neighbors.
We are unique in that we are not a standing committee of First Presbyterian Church. We are a grassroots group that grew out of a few members realizing the importance of addressing systemic racism within the church. Our activities began with discussion, which led to adult education classes on addressing issues such as systematic racism and white fragility. From this, our work led to adoption of an FPC statement against systemic racism, a retreat on strategic planning, a meeting to name our priorities, and now focuses on how to more fully engage all of First Presbyterian Church in doing the work of anti-racism.
We do our work through:
Study
Research
Personal Reflection
Reading
Teaching
We do our work with:
Imagination
Humility
Openness
Love
