August 24-30

Friends,

Communities of faith and people across the nation are joining the movement to confront the sins of racism and white supremacy. We are demanding that Black lives of every age, gender, gender identity and sexuality are no longer ignored, dismissed or pushed to the margins of our society. We are protesting the unlawful and unjust killings of innocent Black individuals.

Join the leaders of our denomination and PC(USA) churches across the nation, from Aug. 24–30 for a week of activities in support of racial equity in our nation and denomination. Events will include a town hall, film screening, a rally and a day of service to our communities. Act now by planning to participate in the daily schedule of events and share the news.

The Presbyterian Week of Action, Aug. 24–30, is a time for public witness. Together, we will explore Black Lives Matter more deeply and why our Presbyterian beliefs and policies support the movement.

In “Responding to the Sin of Racism and a Call to Action,” the 224th General Assembly (2020) declared, “Our country’s most important institutions have been built to sustain white privilege, to protect white lives and white property at the expense of our siblings of color. The church through
ignorance, denial, and in some cases deliberate action, has participated in this injustice. We have been slow to face the reality of systemic racism. We have been slow to acknowledge the pain of our fellow Presbyterians, of our fellow Christians, of our fellow citizens, and of those who have come to America for a better life, whose value has been judged by the color of their skin.” The Assembly called the Church to “actively confront and dismantle systemic racism in our church and in society at large, and to work for a more just, merciful, and peaceful country that allows all of God’s children to flourish.”

By joining together with national staff and the greater Church, we hope to provide faithful leadership in the area of justice, love and equality within our denomination and communities.

While we recognize and honor the good work toward justice that has been ongoing in our denomination, we also realize that in this time it is no longer enough. The Presbyterian Week of Action hopes to meet the immediacy of our current context. Yet, it will not be the culmination of our work as a denomination. We still have a long way to go to eradicate systemic racism and white supremacy. Nonetheless, this week will empower us, challenge us and enliven the faith we follow.

– Guy Moody, Moderator