STANDING FOR JUSTICE
Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.
-Isaiah 1:17
Authentic love for God goes hand-in-hand with doing right towards others, including the vulnerable and the oppressed. We as a church family continue to look for and step into opportunities to stand against injustice in all its forms, and to promote life, reconciliation, and genuine love.
Along the way, we’ll strive to live lives marked by:
- LISTENING – with understanding to both the spoken and the unspoken. To listen well requires empathy, moments of silence, and non-judgment.
- CURIOSITY – celebrate a mindset of learning.
Like the apostle Paul, we need to recognize that we have not arrived, but instead “press on to take hold” of the fullness of Jesus’ call on each of our lives (Phil. 3:12). May we courageously live out His love for all nations, tribes, peoples, and languages (Rev. 7:9).
Growing to listen and love like Jesus means taking time to see from different points of view and looking to see where God is at work. The resources, links, and events on this page draw from a variety of perspectives in order to offer entry points into the conversation.
JUSTICE AND COMPASSIONATE RECONCILIATION
August 16, 2021
City of Bellevue – Diversity Advantage Initiative
Are you curious what our city is doing for equity for all people regardless of race, ability or language? Bellevue’s diversity work is rooted in the principles of equity, access, inclusion, opportunity and cultural competence. These principles inform efforts underway to improve city policies, staffing and hiring, training, communications, services and outreach. For the community, this work is also improving our human services, public safety, education, economic development and civic engagement. To learn more about what the City of Bellevue is working and to receive alerts you are interested in, visit their website at Diversity Advantage Initiative | City of Bellevue (bellevuewa.gov)
June 2, 2021
Bellevue Essentials Information Session June 2 and 3 – program starting in September
Click Here for more information
If you have a passion for learning more about your local city and how its government operates, and want to connect with others interested in civic engagement, you should apply to join the 2021 Bellevue Essentials class. Information sessions are being held in June to share more about program goals and outcomes. Applications for the ninth year of the Bellevue Essentials civic engagement program are due July 23.
February 23, 2021
“Interconnected: Confronting Racial Prejudice between Asian American and African American communities,” is an AAPI Heritage Month Panel Series co-hosted by the Asian American Christian Collaborative and Be the Bridge.
RESOURCES AND LINKS
From the Bible
Online Resources
- Pastor Tony Evans: Oneness Embraced
- From Asian American Christian Collaborative (AACC) and Be The Bridge: Interconnected
- Dr. Anita Phillips on Instagram
- Latasha Morrison on Instagram
- Center for Biblical Unity
Books to Consider
- Jemar Tisby: The Color of Compromise
- Isabel Wilkerson: The Warmth of Other Suns
- Ta-Nehisi Coates: Between the World and Me
- John M. Perkins: One Blood: Parting Words to the Church on Race and Love
Especially for Parents
- Debbie Irving: Waking Up White: And Finding Myself in the Story of Race
- ParentCue.org Podcast: Why You Need to Talk About Race With Your Kids
Especially for Kids: Elementary and Up
- Dorena Williamson: ColorFull
- Julius Lester: Let’s Talk About Race
- Celano, Collins and Hazard: Something Happened in Our Town: A Child’s Story About Racial Injustice
Especially for Kids: Younger Ages
- Karen Katz: The Colors of Us
- Trillia Newbell: God’s Very Good Idea
- Taye Diggs: Mixed Me!
- Mixed Me! Read Aloud by Ms. Cece
- Michael Tyler: The Skin You Live In
“All life has inestimable value: even the weakest and most vulnerable, the sick, the old, the unborn and the poor, are masterpieces of God’s creation, made in his own image, destined to live forever, and deserving of the utmost reverence and respect.”