wfn.org | UCC/National meeting centerpiece to be film on race

[powellb@ucc.org]

United Church of Christ
Laurie Bartels, press contact
(216) 736-2213
E-mail:  bartelsl@ucc.org
Press Room, July 3-8 only:
Room C110, Greater Columbus (Ohio) Convention Center
(614) 722-1216
On the Web:  http://www.ucc.org

[This is one in a series of releases previewing the
United Church of Christ's 1997 General Synod.  Other
agenda items are covered in previous and coming
releases.  The Synod will draw an estimated 3,000
people, including some 700 voting delegates from 39
regional bodies of the denomination.  On moral, social
and theological matters, the biennial Synod speaks to,
and not for, the UCC's 1.5 million members and 6,100
local churches.  News coverage is welcome.  For
information, call the Cleveland number above.  During
the General Synod, news will be updated twice daily on
a special Synod section of the UCC home page (Web
address above).]

Church people to view, discuss challenging film on
race in unusual centerpiece of national meeting

COLUMBUS, Ohio--In a summer when President Clinton is
urging  America to take racial problems seriously, a
national church meeting will do just that in an
unusual and even risky way on Sunday, July 6.
      Delegates and visitors to the United Church of
Christ's 21st General Synod will set aside Sunday
morning's plenary session to view a provocative film
on racism, "The Color of Fear," and discuss their
reactions to it, led by the film's producer.
      At least 1,000 UCC people of several races and
cultures will see and discuss the film from 8:30 a.m.
to noon (ET) at the Greater Columbus Convention
Center.  "The Color of Fear" covers three days in the
lives of eight men -- two African-American, two
Latino, two Asian-American and two European-
American -- as they share their fears and prejudices. 
It features spontaneous dialogue about race.
      Producer and director Lee Mun Wah of Oakland,
Calif., calls the film "an emotional, insightful
portrayal of the problems of talking about racism in
America.  Its aim is to illustrate the type of
dialogue and relationships that are needed if we are
ever to have a truly multicultural society based on
equality and trust."
      The film and discussion will be the centerpiece
of the July 3-8 Synod, whose theme is "For the Healing
of the Nations" and whose business agenda includes,
among many items, two proposed resolutions on racial
matters.

Racism and church burnings

      One proposed resolution would urge the church to
continue giving attention to the spate of church
burnings in recent years, which the National Council
of Churches has decried as "a national disaster and a
national disgrace."  At least 124 predominantly
African-American churches have been destroyed by
arson.  Numerous agencies, regional bodies and local
churches of the United Church of Christ have committed
significant resources to help rebuild these churches.
      The proposed resolution calls on the UCC in its
many settings to continue helping to rebuild churches
destroyed by arson and to speak out against acts of
racist violence, which has been linked to some of the
burnings.

Faith responds to extremism

      A workshop attended by 48 UCC pastors in July
1996 is the backdrop for a proposed resolution dealing
with the "Christian Identity Movement."  This white
supremacist group, and others like it, operate largely
in rural areas of the country spreading anti-Semitic
and racially divisive material, sometimes encouraging
the overthrow of elected government officials and
advocating violent attacks on Jews, gays, lesbians and
people of color.  Such movements often interpret the
Bible in ways that they say justify their actions.
      Recognizing that local, rural churches are often
on the front lines in dealing with the activities of
such white supremacists, the proposed resolution calls
on various UCC leaders and bodies to:

      *  teach communities to identify these hate
groups and provide a scriptural-based study paper for
use by local churches in talking with extremist
groups;

      *  encourage peaceful and just public opposition
to these groups; and

      *  converse with Christian Identity leaders in
any public forum which presents itself.

      The United Church of Christ, with national
offices in Cleveland, has local congregations in the
United States and Puerto Rico.  It was formed by the
1957 union of the Congregational Christian Churches
and the Evangelical and Reformed Church.  Its General
Synod in 1993 called upon the entire denomination to
work deliberately toward becoming an authentically
multiracial, multicultural church.
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