
Walk Humbly:
A Four-Week Journey Toward Racial Reconciliation
Listen, Learn, Act, Reflect
As Christians, God has called us to the difficult and joyful “ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18). That ministry begins within—educating ourselves, listening to others’ voices, and being open to the movement of the Spirit. Many of us may not know where to begin, so let’s begin together. We give thanks to Shallowford Presbyterian Church for initiating this model of learning, discussion and reflection. We are indebted to them for many of the links that you find below.
Four-Week Journey
Join us for “Walk Humbly: Journeying Toward Racial Understanding.” Each week, we will lift up 7 resources (Bible studies, sermons, articles, podcasts, videos, and movies) about racism and anti-racism. You are encouraged to engage at least 3 of them. On Monday nights at 7pm, beginning October 12th for four weeks, join with Pastor Heather and your fellow travelers for an online zoom discussion. Contact Pastor Heather for the link to participate.
Learning to love God and our neighbors is the life-long journey of discipleship. Wherever you find yourself on that path, you are invited to come along with us to “Walk Humbly”. Together, let’s be open to the transformative power of the Spirit!
Week 1
Walk Humbly: Seeing Racism
There are seven activities for the week. Please review the item type, title, source, and duration of each, and then click the buttons to access the Week 1 materials. *Indicates explicit language or content.
- Bible Study
- Article – Facing Racism 4: Racism 101
- Author – PC(USA) Presbyterian Mission
- Duration – 15 mins.
- Worship –
- Sermon – You’ve Got to Go Through It
- Preacher – Rev. Aisha Brooks-Lytle
- Duration – 42 mins.
- Watch
- Video – Color Blind or Color Brave?
- Creator – Melody Hobson
- Duration –14 mins.
- Read
- *Article – What I Said When My White Friend Asked for My Black Opinion on White Privilege
- Author – Lori Lakin Hutcherson
- Duration – 10 mins.
- Article – Don’t understand the protests? What you’re seeing is people pushed to the edge
- Author – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- Duration – 5 mins.
- Article – How to Respond When People Say, ‘All Lives Matter’
- Author – Tom Hunt
- Duration – 2 mins.
- Act
- Call to Action – Interrupt the pattern of white silence by speaking openly with family, friends, and colleagues about what you’re doing and learning. Invite them to join you in listening to or watching one of the upcoming podcasts or videos.
- Duration – 20+ mins.
- Listen – Bonus
- Podcast – On Being – How Can I Say This So We Can Stay In The Car Together?
- Author – Claudia Rankine
- Duration – 50 mins.
Love Mercy: Becoming an Ally
“When you get these jobs that you have been so brilliantly trained for, just remember that your real job is that if you are free, you need to free somebody else. If you have some power, then your job is to empower somebody else. This is not just a grab-bag candy game.” Toni Morrison
There are seven activities for the week. Please review the item type, title, source, and duration of each, and then click the buttons to access the Week 2 materials.
- Bible Study
- Curriculum – Facing Racism 1 : Biblical Imperative to Antiracism
- Organization – PC(USA): Presbyterian Mission
- Duration – 15 mins.
- Worship
- Sermon – Social Justice & Reconciliation Inaugural Lecture: ‘Just Jesus’
- Preacher – Rev. Dr. Brian Blount
- Duration – 50 mins. (sermon starts at 34:24 and ends at 1:23:00)
- Read
- Article – What It Means to be an Ally
- Author – Ben & Jerry’s (cause who doesn’t like ice cream)
- Duration – 8 mins.
- Listen
- Audio – Soul Sister: A Look Back At The Fraught Attempt At Empathy
- Recording by Sarah Kate Kramer
- Duration – 12 mins.
- Duration – 12 mins.
- Watch
- Video – Holy Post: Race in America
- Recording by Phil Vischer
- Duration – 18 mins.
- Video – Getting Called Out: How To Apologize
- Recorded by Francesca Ramsey
- Duration – 9 mins.
- Act
- Call to Action – Diversify Your Social Media Feed: Follow Black Voices. You might consider following:
- Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary
- Morehouse College
- Black Lives Matter Atlanta
- MTV Decoded
- Rev. Dr. J Herbert Nelson, Stated Clerk PCUSA
- The Katie Geneva Cannon Center for Womanist Leadership
- Racial Equity Institute
- National Center for Civil and Human Rights
- Equal Justice Initiative
- TheConsciousKid
- Advocates for Social Justice (Cedar Rapids)
- Stacy Walker (Cedar Rapids)
- Bonus
- Website – The Guide to Allyship
- Created by amelie lamont
Week 3
Acting Justly: Examining the Criminal Justice System
There are seven activities for the week. Please review the item type, title, source, and duration of each, and then click the buttons to access the Week 3 materials. *Indicates explicit language or content.
- Bible Study
- Article – Facing Racism 3 : PC(USA) and Racial Reconciliation
- Organization – PC(USA): Presbyterian Mission
- Duration – 15 mins.
- Worship
- Sermon – “Cain & Abel”
- Preacher – Rev. Dr. Frank Thomas
- Duration – 32 mins
- Watch
- *Video – Just Mercy – Based on the book (Watch on Netflix and other streaming services)
- Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, based on the book by Bryan Stevenson
- Duration – 2 hrs, 17 mins.
- Video – “Let’s get to the root of racial injustice”
- Recorded by Megan Ming Francis
- Duration – 20 mins.
- Video- Poem @ BLM by Raafa & Rahma Elsheikh
- Listen
- Audio – 1001 New Worshipping Communities Interview, Season 5: Episode 2
- Featuring – Kosha Tucker & Sara Hayden
- Duration – 30 mins.
- Read
- *Article – “Who Gets to Be Afraid in America?”
- Author – Ibram X. Kendi
- Duration – 10 mins.
- Act
- Call to Action – Call or email your senator to express your concerns about racial inequality in Iowa.
- Need a template? Before you vote, research candidates’ positions on issues concerning racial justice.
- Duration – 20+ mins.
What is Good: Connecting Race, Health, & Poverty
There are seven activities for the week. Please review the item type, title, source, and duration of each, and then click the buttons to access the Week 4 materials.
- Bible Study
- Article – “Facing Racism 2: Envisioning a New Way of Life Together”
- Organization – PC(USA): Presbyterian Mission
- Duration – 15 mins.
- Worship
- Sermon – “June 3, 2018: Sunday Sermon”
- Preacher – Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II
- Duration – 41 mins.
- Listen
- Audio – “COVID-19 May Have a More Serious Impact on Formerly Redlined Communities”
- Provider – NPR Morning Edition
- Duration – 3 mins.
- Consider the information provided within the COVID Data Tracker within the context of this news story
- Audio – “The Code Switch Podcast “ (Pick any episode: You might consider these on: COVID-19, health, and housing)
- Provider – NPR
- Duration – 30-45 mins.
- Watch
- Video – “How Racism Makes Us Sick”
- Recorded by Dr. David R. Williams
- Duration – 17 minutes
- Read
- Article – “How Moderates Failed Black America”
- Author – David Brooks
- Duration – 5 mins.
- Act
- Call to Action – Support local black-owned restaurants and other businesses.
Resources for Children & Parents
Book suggestions are from Miriam Moore-Keish’s anti-racism books for kids.
- For Children Ages 0-5
- For Children Ages 3-8
- The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson
- How To Explain Racism to Kids: A Town Hall from CNN and Sesame Street (22 mins.) by CNN and Sesame Street
- For Children Ages 5-8
- The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles
- My Brother Martin: A Sister Remembers Growing Up with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by Christine King Farris
- Let the Children March by Monica Clark-Robinson
- Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña
- For Children Ages 9-11
- Little Man, Little Man: A Story of Childhood by James Baldwin
- The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
- Ways to Make Sunshine by Renee Watson
- A Good Kind of Trouble by Lisa Moore Ramée
- Resources for Parents
- Social Justice Resources from The Children’s Community School
- Raising Race Conscious Children Blog by Sachi Feris
- Anti-Racism Resources for Parents and Kids from Healthline Website
- Raising White Kids: Bringing Up Children in a Racially Unjust America by Jennifer Harvey
Resources for Youth
Book suggestions are from Miriam Moore-Keish’s anti-racism books for youth.
- For Youth Ages 12-17
- The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
- The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
- Black Enough: Stories of Being Young & Black in America by Ibi Zoboi, et all
- Stamped: Racism, Anti Racism, and You: A Remix of the National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning by Jason Reynolds & Ibrahim Kendi
- Resources for Youth Parents
- Anti-Racism Resources for Parents and Kids from Healthline Website
- Talking to Kids About Racism and Justice: a list for parents, caregivers & educators from Oakland Public Library
- Books and Resources to Help You Raise Anti-Racist Children from the Brightly Editors
Black Parents Explain How to Deal with the Police | Cut (5 mins.)