As you folks know, I have wanted the Global Methodist Church to be able to make good on the hopes of so many to become a truly multiethnic, global sign of Christ's presence and power. Racial separation hurts me. I believe it disappoints my Lord and cheapens his gospel.
So I and others need to have conversations with people of underrepresented constituencies so that we know how to work towards what we believe Christ requires. Blango, clergy from the UMC's Baltimore Washington Annual Conference, was willing to help me think through these things, drawing heavily on his decades of experience in ministry and life.
Many of you will enjoy this conversation very much. Blango and I are friends, and I believe we are paving the way for the future to look pretty different from the past and present.
Links:
Willimon Article (I didn't like it, of course, but it has the 4% stat in it) - https://www.christiancentury.org/features/missed-opportunities-umc-general-conference
Racial Segregation in Modern Methodism - A Conversation with Ambassador Blango Ross