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SOCIAL JUSTICE | Education

Classes and events

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Intuitive Eating Support Group Mondays |
Jan. 23-May 22 at 4pm

Using the book, Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Anti-Diet Approach, 4th edition by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch as the group’s guide and each other as supportive safe space, this group will navigate the principles of intuitive eating.

Rest is Resistance | April 17 - May 15, 2023
6:30 - 7:45pm

Join Pastor Winter for this book study from author Tricia Hersey, the founder and creator of The Nap Ministry. Rest Is Resistance is a battle cry, a guidebook, a map for a movement, and a field guide for the weary and hopeful.

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Walk Justly 2023 (re) inhabit Save the Date | October 20-21, 2023

The (re)inhabit conference is for those leaning into our calling to tend the wellbeing of the earth, our communities, and our own very flesh…and for those wondering how the church can best take on this task.

Past events

Rev.-Darryl-G.-Gray

An Evening With Rev. Darryl Gray |
March 28, 2023
7pm

Rev. Darryl Gray is the Senior Pastor at Greater Fairfax Missionary Baptist Church and was the spiritual advisor for Kevin Johnson, a man put to death by the state of Missouri in 2022. Rev. Gray will speak about his experience as a spiritual advisor & his work to end the death penalty. Watch Rev. Gray's powerful testimony on the Manchester UMC Social Justice Facebook page or click on the photo of Rev. Gray.

Lunch & Learns

On the first Tuesday of the month, the Social Justice Ministry will host monthly Lunch & Learns in Fellowship Hall (and via Facebook Live). These events will take place the first Tuesday of the month and will cover topics related to root causes of injustice.

Bring your lunch and surround yourself with community as we learn about important social justice issues impacting our community

upcoming lunch and learns

Race and Culture Introduction slide

April 4, 2023

What is the Missouri Conference is doing to address issues of race and culture in Missouri?

Language Matters

May 2, 2023

Join Leslie Weil Masaka and Rachel Bolter of Congregation Shaare Emeth's Keshet Committee as they share the importance of LGBTQ+ inclusive language.

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June 6, 2023
How to be an LGBTQ+ Ally

Join Debbie Reinhardt, Leader of the LGBTQ+ Family Support Network, during Pride month and explore how you can be an LGBTQ+ ally.

Register for Any of the Above Education events

lgbtq+ Inclusion and the umc

As part of a “Live in Love” sermon series, Pastor Andy Bryan delivered a compelling sermon laying out interpretations of the “clobber verses.” These are verses in the Bible that have been used to harm or “clobber” members of the LGBTQ+ community. The interpretations are rooted in Biblical scholarship, linguistic analysis, historical context, and other ancient sources.

 

Pastor Andy asked, “Knowing there is an interpretation of these verses that does harm to your neighbor, and knowing now that there is another interpretation of these verses that doesn’t do harm to your neighbor, why do you believe what you believe?”

 

Why do we believe what we believe? It is a provocative and necessary question. After Pastor Andy’s sermon people wanted to know more and to better understand the different interpretations. Using a resource created by Nick Mundwiller, and Pastor Andy’s sermon, Ali Fields drafted a summary of the interpretations.

The UMC and Homosexuality –

Homosexuality in the Bible

The Future of the UMC

Eating disorder and disordered eating resources

Information and resources related to eating disorders and disordered eating

MOEDA

The Missouri Eating Disorders Association

Educational information as well as local treatment resources

thebodyisnotanapology

Radical Self-Love for Everybody and Every Body

Social justice centered eating disorder and disordered eating recovery resources

Alicartwheel

Road to Recovered

One woman’s experience of letting go of a long-term eating disorder by healing from the inside out

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Committed to Size Diversity in Health and HAES

Association for size diversity and health

Books

Reclaiming Body Trust: A Path to Healing & Liberation by Hilary Kinavey and Dana Sturtevant (releasing in August 2022)

The Body is Not an Apology by Sonja Renee Taylor

8 Keys to Recovery From an Eating Disorder by Carolyn Costin and Gwen Schubert Grabb

Hunger by Roxane Gay

Intuitive Eating, 4th Edition: A Revolutionary Anti-Diet Approach by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch

How to Raise an Intuitive Eater: Raising the Next Generation with Food and Body Confidence by Sumner Brooks and Amee Severson

Decolonizing Wellness by Dalia Kinsey

Belly of the Beast: The Politics of Anti-Fatness as Anti-Blackness by Da’Shaun L. Harrison

If questions or to learn how to get involved, please email the Director of Social Justice, Ali Fields.

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Pastor's Note

And Also With You

& also with you by Laura Checkett, March 25, 2023 a return to love to guide us forward in this time; in this moment for this time; for this moment to love to see to know to be in community with each other with those who we don’t understand &

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Sermons

Rage

Jesus was angry at the Pharisees for their hardness of heart, and it motivated him to heal the man’s hand. Embracing anger can be hard to do, especially since we are so often coached to avoid it. However, often those who are telling us to avoid anger are only doing

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Sermons

Truth

“Confession is just spiritual language for truth-telling” (from the Arthur Riley devo). When we confess, sharing the truth about ourselves with God and with one another, it sets us free. We release those parts of us that are not authentic to who we are so that we are free to

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