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Justice and Diversity

We are working to ensure that Saint John’s is a place where all people

 

regardless of gender, age, race, ethnicity, national origin, economic status,

 

mental and physical capacities, or family configuration

 

are welcomed, engaged, and valued in the life of the church.

We Strive to 

  • Take a stand on social justice issues - monitor and respond to practices or policy proposals that promote hate or injustice and support initiatives aimed at building awareness of social justice issues
    • Advocate with local, state, federal and denomination officials on issues such as racism, LGBTQIA+ inclusion, human trafficking, health care, gun safety, and economic justice
    • Sponsor a social justice seminar at Saint John’s 
    • Encourage the use of Saint John’s facilities to groups supporting social justice
      causes, such as Methodist Federation for Social Action or Texas Coalition to
      Abolish the Death Penalty
  • Work within the denomination and the community for full inclusion for LGBTQI+
    persons
  • Participate in local church initiatives, Annual Conference and General Conference
  • Support efforts to abolish the death penalty
  • Promote voting in local, state, and federal elections by offering voter registration
    Sundays
Current and upcoming classes focusing on justice and diversity:

Read on to learn more about Saint John's Anti-Racism efforts, our membership with the Reconciling Ministries Network, and our Accessibility Team.

Anti-Racism

Objectives:

1-Promote ways for people to individually learn about anti-racism.
2-Encourage ways to welcome more diversity to Saint John’s.
3-Promote issues relevant to diverse communities and witness/advocate/invest outside of our walls for those needs.

Resources:

How White People Can Talk to Their Children about Racism

Mental Health Resources for Young People of Color

 

Reconciling Ministries Team

As an affiliate of the Reconciling Ministries Network rmnetwork.org, Saint John's offers the following public statement of inclusion:

At Saint John's United Methodist Church we affirm that all persons are beloved children of God. As followers of Christ, whose love is boundless, we seek to invite and welcome people of every age, gender identity, physical ability, ethnic background, racial identity, sexual orientation, marital status, socioeconomic standing, education level, national origin, family configuration, and intellectual ability into full participation in the life of this faith community.

Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) mobilizes United Methodists of all sexual orientations and gender identities to transform our Church and world into the full expression of Christ's inclusive love. For over 35 years this group has been about the work of seeking this specific change in our church policies.

The Reconciling Ministries Team (RM Team) at Saint John's was formed in November 2010 by a group of Saint John's members who wanted to raise awareness about Reconciling Ministries at our church. The RM Team became a recognized church committee (affiliated with the Intentional Faith Development committee) by Church Council vote in 2011. Interested in joining us? Contact Kathleen Harrington.

Saint John's now shares a statement of welcome each week on the front of our Sunday bulletin. The statement reads:

At Saint John's United Methodist Church we affirm that all persons are of sacred worth, and we welcome everyone, without exception, to participate fully in the church's life and ministry.
This statement was proposed by the RM Team, and endorsed by the Intentional Faith Development Committee, the Passionate Worship Committee, the Radical Hospitality Committee, and the Risk Taking Mission & Service Committee. The statement was adopted by Church Council in 2012.

Saint John's votes to affiliate with RMN - news release

Those wishing to secure individual memberships with RMN are encouraged to do so by visiting RMN's website.

On the Second Sunday of each month, we encourage our congregation to wear rainbows to church in the form of stoles, pins, and more. The rainbow stoles specifically remind us of those who have not been ordained and those who have lost ordination due to sexual orientation or gender identity. All of our rainbows are a visible and affirming welcome to the many who have historically been made to feel unwelcome at church.

Resources

Accessibility Team

Goals: To ensure that Saint John’s is a place where all people regardless of physical or mental capability are welcomed, engaged, and valued in the life of the church. To educate, support and advocate for all children of God whose lives are affected by mental illness and mental health challenges.


To get involved, please email Rev. Randy Knighten.

We are striving to ensure that Saint John’s is a place where all people regardless of physical or mental capability are welcomed, engaged, and valued in the life of the church. In accordance with that objective, our website is designed according to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). If you are having difficulty accessing any part of our site, please contact Katie Foley and we will work to make the necessary improvements.