Two churches are pursuing racial equality and justice in very different ways. One has made headlines by woke-fasting everything white. The other is taking a proactive approach to making restitution.
The First United Church of Oak Park, Illinois recently announced on its website that it’s giving up “whiteness” for Lent and that includes hymns written by white people as well.
“For Lent this year, First United is doing a mix of ‘giving something up’ and ‘taking something on.’ In our worship services throughout Lent, we will not be using any music or liturgy written or composed by white people. Our music will be drawn from the African American spirituals tradition, from South African freedom songs, from Native American traditions, and many, many more,” a post on the church’s website read.
The church goes on to talk about unity while simultaneously prohibiting Christian songs written by white people.
“For Lent, it is our prayer that in our spiritual disciplines we may grow as Christians, united in the body of Christ with people of all ages, nations, races, and origins,” the post concluded.
In addition, to the website post, the church also put up a sign on its front lawn proclaiming the church is “Fasting from WHITENESS,” according to Turning Point USA.
“This Lent we build our worship life around the voices of Black people, indigenous people, and people of color,” the sign read.
The days of Lent are marked as a time of faith-filled meditation, fasting, and repentance from Ash Wednesday until Easter. For 40 days and nights (not counting Sundays), some Christians around the world imitate Jesus’s fasting in the wilderness before he began his public ministry. Although observing Lent looks different for every believer, fasting is usually a major factor.
CBN News has reached out to the leadership of the First United Church for comment. We will post it here if we hear back.
Church That Received a Donation from KKK Is Now Giving Back to Fight Racism
Meanwhile, a different congregation from New Orleans, Louisiana, that once received a donation from the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s is giving back to the community by donating to various organizations to advance race equality and fight racism.
About two years ago, the Algiers United Methodist Church of New Orleans discovered that the KKK had donated $100 to the congregation in 1922, around the time that their sanctuary was consecrated, The Christian Post (CP) reports.
In response, the church will donate $1,675 over the next 12 months to groups that help in minority neighborhoods and promote anti-racism endeavors.
The first organization selected to receive the first funding will be the About Family and Community Engagement (FACE) founded by church member Lyndon Jones, according to the CP.
Church historian Sarah A. Waits told the outlet the congregation decided to donate the $1,675 amount because it equals the KKK donation of $100 in 1922 when adjusted for inflation.
“We have discussed choosing a different nonprofit per quarter, with the understanding that the organization provides beneficial services for the black community within the New Orleans region,” she said.
Waits said the planned donations to fight racism are “a pledge to continued growth and recognition that every person is created in the image of God.”
CBN News has also reached out to Algier Methodist Church Pastor Joanne Pounds for comment about the donation program. We will post it here when we hear back.
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