Red and Yellow, Black and White

"We must face the fact that in America, the church is still the most segregated major institution in America. At 11:00 on Sunday morning when we stand and sing and Christ has no east or west, we stand at the most segregated hour in this nation. This is tragic." Dr. Martin Luther King – 1963

I’ve thought about Dr. King’s observation many times over the years as I’ve worshipped in a variety of churches around the country while on the road for Wheat Ridge Ministries. My experience has been consistent with research that indicates that things haven’t changed much since 1963. A quick search turned up research that indicated that in the United States currently, in 90% of religious congregations, more than 80% of the congregation membership is comprised of a single racial group.

I was especially blessed recently to worship in a Lutheran church that is clearly among the 10% of churches where this is not true. Redeemer Lutheran Church is located in the Harrison neighborhood just north of downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was founded more than 100 years ago when persons of Swedish descent populated the neighborhood. As with many urban neighborhoods, the Harrison neighborhood has experienced many changes over the years and it has faced its share of economic challenges and other problems. Today, the neighborhood is in the midst of change again. It’s attracting a vibrant mix of people from a variety of races and cultures who are increasingly attracted by the close proximity to downtown Minneapolis.

For many years, Redeemer has been committed to being a center of health, hope and healing in the Harrison neighborhood. Pastor Kelly Chatman has a wonderful vision of the church as a transforming presence in the neighborhood. In 1998, Redeemer established a separate non-profit organization aligned with the congregation called the Redeemer Center for Life. The Center has been a springboard for a variety of new ministry ventures, ranging from low-income housing to businesses that provide vocational training and employment for young people in the neighborhood. Wheat Ridge Ministries has benefitted over the years from the opportunity to help seed several of these innovative efforts.

Although I have visited Redeemer many times over the years, I had not been able to join the congregation for worship until my visit there during the Martin Luther King Day weekend earlier this year. What an experience! The sanctuary was filled with a wonderfully diverse blend of people … young and old people, rich and poor people with a rich variety of skin colors and ethnic origins. All of these people gathered in community to worship God together and to partake in the body and blood of Christ at the communion table. The liturgy and music was a reflection of this great blend of styles and cultures.

The Good News shared by Pastor Kelly in his sermon included a wonderful application of the question asked of Phillip by Nathaniel in the Gospel of John, Chapter1:  “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Kelly observed that this question could be asked about all of us, as we each have characteristics that can cause doubt in the minds of others and, sometimes in our own minds, about whether we are worthy of God’s love.  And, he reminded us that God’s answer to this question is a resounding “Yes!” By God’s grace and through the redemptive power of Christ, good can come from all of us as we bring our unique gifts to the table in response to God’s love.

My worship experience at Redeemer reminded me of a song I learned as a child (you probably did, too), that I’ve been thinking about a lot since that Sunday:

Jesus loves the little children,

All the children of the world.

Red and yellow

Black and white

They are precious in His sight.

Jesus loves the little children

Of the world.

 

Wouldn’t it be great to live to see the day when Dr. King’s vision of all God’s people – people of all races, ages, sizes, cultures, education, states of health, and economic status – working, living, and even worshipping together, is the norm rather than an exception? What a great preparation for the eternity we will spend when we meet these brothers and sisters in Christ in heaven!