E4 Potential Living

Racial Dialogue Circle

REAL Community Covenant Church, Marion, IN

Mt. Olive UMC, Marion, IN

Mt. Olive UMC and REAL Church participated in the E4 Racial Dialogue Circle program led by facilitators Gustanna Moss-Cheney and Rev. John Young in the fall of 2021. Fourteen participants, seven from each church, engaged in challenging and meaningful dialogue around the issues of racism and Biblical Justice.  

I found the E4 groups to be an insightful way of engaging in fruitful dialogue that not only increased our understanding of racial issues in the US today. More importantly though, E4s commitment to action means our dialogue doesn’t just stay there. This is the key component of E4 that helps it stand out.

I heard from my fellow Christians of color how programs such as this have only managed to open wounds and produce no real world results. E4’s focus on moving their RDCs to action means this isn’t just about awakening awareness but putting Biblical Justice into action. This isn’t simply about awareness but putting the Gospel into action. And E4s team and facilitators follow up and encouragement have helped to keep us on track and accountable to that action.  

Today our two churches are dreaming and planning together a shared preschool experience. This experience will be designed around interactive teaching lessons on the subject of the Underground Railroad. A key component will also incorporate teachings for parents about healthy and developmentally appropriate ways to speak to their child about issues of race not just as preschoolers but providing a roadmap for them as they reach key developmental stages as they grow. This tool will normalize for the youngest among us stories of faith and heroism that focus on people of color. It is also our hope that this program is shared between our two very different ethnically based congregations; it will foster a meaningful and truly diverse community. Indeed it already has for those now working together on our plan of action to combat racial inequality in our community through our preschools.  

In short E4’s Racial Dialogue Circles have been a blessing and those who participate in this programme and come with open hearts and open minds will find themselves transformed by the power of Christ.

Blessings,

Pastor Rob Barton

Senior Pastor Mt. Olive UMC

Ordained Elder of the Indiana United Methodist Conference