October 2020

As followers of Jesus Christ, who loves us and calls us to challenge the unjust structures of church and society, we are called to work for justice and peace for all people everywhere. During this election season, we have been reminded yet again that we must specifically voice our belief that racism and white supremacy are sins, and that we are called to participate in the in-breaking of the Kin-dom of God.

The Presbyterian Church has played a valuable role over time in the effort to abolish slavery and address racism. Yet at times, the church and her people have been and remain complicit in the oppression of others. We acknowledge the truth that injustice on the basis of race is a continuing legacy. We commit to abolishing systemic racism and white supremacy, and to work for lasting justice and equality.

We the Board of UKirk Collegiate Ministries Association affirm that:
• God Created Us All: Every human being is created in the image of God, equally deserving of God’s love and equally undeserving of God’s grace.
• God Loves Us All: As Christians, we are guided by the unconditional love that Christ has for each of us, no matter our race or ethnic identity.
• Racism is a Sin: It is an utter rejection of what God intends for humanity. We reject racism, in its individual and systemic forms, for it purports the falsehood that some of God’s children are less worthy than others.
• There is no Peace without Justice: Now is the time for all of us to renew our commitment to abolish systemic racism and white supremacy, and to work for lasting justice and equality.
• Black Lives Matter: We stand with those suffering from systemic racism in all its forms, and support all nonviolent efforts to dismantle endemic racist behavior and systems, including engaging in the public square by voting and encouraging others to exercise their right to vote.

The UKirk National Board is committed to the work of addressing the inequities of racism and injustice by confessing our own complicity in unjust systems, learning how our national systems and structures can be aligned with our values including our finances, and encouraging all of our network ministries to recognize and resist the influence of white supremacy.

Relying on the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit, we vow to continue to reflect and repent, to study and to advocate, to change and to grow, and to work for racial equality in our world. We invite you and the whole UKirk National Network – as individuals and organizations – to also endorse these values and engage in the work and practice of eliminating racism by typing your name, ministry, and title (Director, Minister, Student, Board Member, Volunteer, etc..) in the comments below.

Signed,
Rev. Gini Norris-Lane, Executive Director, Kerrville, TX
Rev. Allison Wehrung, UKirk Ole Miss, Oxford, MS
Rev. Lenore Scales, Princeton Presbyterians, Princeton, NJ
Neil Myer, [email protected], East Lansing, MI
Rev. Evans McGowan, [email protected], Ann Arbor, MI
Rev. Elizabeth Doolin, UKirk Memphis, Memphis, TN
Rev. Rachel Hebert, UKirk Williamsburg, Williamsburg, VA
Preston Turley, UKirk Ministries – Columbia, Columbia, MO
Nathan Wheeler, Coordinator of Youth and Young Adult Ministry CPC, Memphis, TN
Rev. John Rogers, Presbyterian Campus Ministry of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
Rev. Krystal Leedy, Texas Impact, Austin, TX
Rev. Kathleen Day, United Christian [email protected] Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ
Rev. Max Hill, UKirk St. Louis, St. Louis, MO
Rev. Maggie Alsup, Chaplain, Lyon College, Batesville, AK
Stephanie Fritz, Presbyterian Mission Agency Office of Christian Formation, Louisville, KY