Beloved Community
The Beloved Community Team works to build a multiracial, multicultural world, both inside and outside the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashville. See our charge and Statement of Conscience.
Beloved Community Team:
Our work centers on journeying towards an anti-racist, multicultural community within our church community and in the world at large. We welcome new team members and volunteers who would like to join us on this journey. The work we do ranges from education to activism with a focus on identifying and eliminating structural, institutional, and individual racism.
- Is your interest in reading and discussion?
- Participating in political action?
- Working with others to orchestrate a powerful learning experience?
- Helping to change the culture of our congregation to welcome more diversity?
- Brainstorming ideas for all of the above?
The Beloved Community Team does these things together with others inside and outside of FUUN. The work of educating ourselves has included multi-session courses such as the Living the Pledge to End Racism (see below for more information) and Widening the Circle of Concern along with book and documentary discussions, field trips, and worship topics. Examples of our activism include FUUN’s membership in NOAH, a local multicultural community organization, participation in rallies and protests, and support of multicultural organizations. We welcome your questions, ideas, and participation, so please contact us at our Beloved Community Team email address or stop by the Social Justice table after the Sunday morning worship service.
The Beloved Community Team meets on 4th Tuesdays at 6:30 PM on Zoom, except once a quarter when we meet in person at the church at 11:30 AM on the 4th Sunday. Our meetings are open, and attending a meeting or two is a great way to see what we are about. If you want to get the Zoom link, place an item on the agenda, or learn more about us, please email the Beloved Community Team. You can also find our meetings on the church calendar. Plus, look for announcements about discussions about racial justice issues and other events that may interest you in the FUUN weekly e-blast, social media, and on this webpage.
Upcoming Events
LIVING THE PLEDGE TO END RACISM
Have you ever felt strongly about stopping racism in our community and world but felt helpless about how you could make a difference? Living the Pledge to End Racism is designed to give you the skills you need to confront racism and bias in everyday encounters; recognize and challenge systemic racism; and take on a personal leadership role in ending racism in our community.
We have done Living the Pledge in the past with almost 100 folks. Last year we examined how we can challenge our institution to become more multicultural using the Widening the Circle of Concern Curricula. We on the Beloved Community Committee feel this Living the Pledge to End Racism program will allow us to strengthen our skills in recognizing bias in ourselves and our community and understand more about how to avoid using microaggressions and stand up when we witness them.
All people who are committed to ending racism and will commit to attending all workshops, if possible, are welcome to participate in this workshop. The workshop is specifically designed for people of faith and/or people who have a faith community to which they belong. It is in that context that we deepen our understanding of ourselves, our relationships, and our wider community.
The Pledge to End Racism
I BELIEVE that every person has worth as an individual.
I BELIEVE that every person is entitled to dignity and respect, regardless of race or color.
I BELIEVE that every thought and every act of racial prejudice is harmful; if it is my thought or act, then it is harmful to me as well as to others.
Therefore, from this day forward:
I WILL strive daily to eliminate racial prejudice from my thoughts and actions.
I WILL discourage racial prejudice by others at every opportunity.
I WILL treat all people with dignity and respect;
I WILL commit to working with others to transform this community into a place that treats people of all races, ethnicities, and cultures with justice, equity, and compassion, and
I WILL strive daily to honor this pledge, knowing that the world will be a better place because of my effort.
Workshops will be in-person to get the best benefit of the small group discussions. Classes will be held in the Morgan House from noon to 2 pm, except for February 4, which will be a double session covering the first two modules. The modules and dates are as follows.
MODULE 1 : FOUNDATIONS – Feb 4 (noon to 4:30)
MODULE 2 : RECOGNIZING AND CONFRONTING BIAS – Feb 4 (noon to 4:30)
MODULE 3 : SPEAK UP AGAINST MICROAGGRESSIONS – Feb 18 (noon t0 2)
MODULE 4 : STRUCTURAL AND INSTITUTIONAL RACISM – March 3 (noon to 2)
MODULE 5 : BLACK LIVES MATTER – March 24 (noon to 2)
MODULE 6: PERSONAL COMMITMENT TO ENDING RACISM – April 7 (noon to 2)
Sign up through the link below or at the Social Justice table in the Social Area or write to the Beloved Community.
Registration is now closed.
United Tour With Chakita 2019
Black Wall Street
Intern Minister Sara Green preaching the good
word of Beloved Community
Alan and Landry talking about Standing Up with Nashville Pledge to End Racism Program
Spring 2019 Nashville Pledge to End Racism Graduates
Nashville Pledge to End Racism Program Graduates, Spring 2018
Field Trip to Montgomery, AL 2018
Members of FUUN pose with our first Black Lives Matter banner. Sunday, Jan. 31, 2015
FUUN Members participate in the Nashville Martin Luther King March, 2017
Banner vandalized 2016
Our banner was vandalized only furthering our resolve.
Stimulating discussion and self examination were an integral part of Beloved Community’s Opening to Change workshop on Nov. 19, 2016. Led by the Rev. Rob Keithan and attended by forty of our members, the conversation encouraged openness to cultural differences and curiosity about others without judgment. But the impetus was on moving forward with ideas generated for possible next steps for our congregation.