General Assembly Mission Council

Remembering Trayvon Martin 

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. (Romans 12:15-18)

Trayvon Martin

The  National Council of Churches (NCC) has released the following statement on the Trayvon Martin Shooting:

The National Council of Churches is profoundly disturbed by the tragic events surrounding the killing on February 26 of 17 year-old Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida.

We send our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Trayvon. We sadly acknowledge the tragic reality that exists for young men of color and their families who, because of their appearance, fear they will be victims of violence at the hands of police and others. The stereotypes held by police against persons of color, and held by persons of color against police in response - have engendered a dangerous - if not deadly - reality throughout our country.

In this case, the police have said Florida law makes it unnecessary for police to investigate the shooting of Trayvon, resulting in unprecedented demonstrations of anger in the U.S. and around the world. Clearly, this tragedy has been compounded by unexamined stereotypes on both sides, and especially by the systemic racism that is pervasive throughout the very fabric of our society infecting our institutions and individuals alike. 

We do not have all the facts about this terrible incident and it is impossible to know what was going on in the mind of the alleged shooter. But all of us – especially those who are white – must engage in urgent self-examination about the ways we react to persons we regard as “other.” And beyond our personal responses, we must recommit ourselves to root out the endemic institutional racism, both in society and in the church that threatens our ability to live in safety and in community.

We welcome signs that systems of justice are moving to fully investigate the tragic killing of Trayvon Martin. We pray these efforts will be a first step toward discarding historic structural patterns that have caused us to dehumanize one another, and that have placed millions of our sisters and brothers, persons of color, at risk in our society -- in their homes, their neighborhoods and in public places.

We pray for God’s help as we seek to bridge the divisions that separate us from one another. May God forgive us and open all our hearts to one another. 

Read a statement from Churches Uniting in Christ

Youth Cultural Proficiency Pilot Program

We strongly believe that racism is a learned valued that is taught over time by individuals and systems that do not regard diversity (difference) as a God-given gift of creation. Learned values such as racism, prejudice and discrimination must be unlearned by youth today. The first step in this process is to teach some alternatives to racism – namely, love of neighbor and appreciation for the Christian belief that “everyone is created equally in the image of God.” The Office of Gender and Racial Justice strongly encourages each presbytery to establish a training program to teach the importance of celebrating diversity. To support our efforts, we are providing seed grants to assist congregations and mid councils in this work. 

Download an application