WASHINGTON – Dozens of pastors and religious leaders, mostly black and white, discussed firsthand stories of racism and inequality at a dinner hosted by Bishop of Virginia Derek Grier at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC

“If we can come together and talk rather than keep crying, the Lord will listen and we will see the change,” Grier, pastor of Church of Grace in Dumfries, said last Wednesday at the event titled “DC Talks”.

The event served as the kick-off for the “Let’s talkWhich will bring together the country’s Christian leaders for monthly Zoom calls starting in December.

“I seek to create an environment where multicultural Christian leaders from across the country can hear and be heard, share their disappointments and triumphs in race relations in America, and address critical race issues, as well as offer solutions. practical solutions to the crisis.

The black pastors who took the stage shared their first-hand accounts, detailing how they experienced racism over the years and how they seek God to deal with the continued “pain” and “trauma” of these experiences.

White religious leaders in attendance shared stories of how they witnessed the impact of racism on people of color.

Religious leaders agreed that there is a need to find solutions to racial issues inside and outside the Church.

Reverend Lee Jenkins, who is black, is the founder and senior pastor of Eagle’s Nest Church in Atlanta. He shared a meeting with a policeman as a child that made quite a big impression on his life.

Overcome trauma

“I was traumatized by white cops,” Jenkins said. “As a teenager, as I was learning to drive, if a police car stopped, my heart would beat fast. It terrified me.

Throughout his childhood, Jenkins often visited his grandparents. During a visit in 1968 when he was 7, he and his two cousins, who were also black, visited the store.

Along the way, the boys heard children’s laughter. Jenkins and her 9 and 11-year-old cousins ​​followed the noises behind the trees.

After going through all the greenery, the three boys discovered a swimming pool. After removing their shirts and sneakers, the three jumped into the pool. Jenkin said he remembers the water being refreshing on a hot day in South Georgia.

The boys swam for a few moments, then they noticed that everything had become silent.

“I looked around and saw a look of contempt on the faces of the adults,” Jenkins told the audience.

He and his cousins ​​did not understand what was going on and they continued to play until the police arrived.

“The cop said, ‘You nig *** get out of that pool,’ and we got out,” Jenkins said.

“At age 7, my hero # 1 was my dad, my hero # 2 was Batman and Robin, and my hero # 3 was Superman, and my hero # 4 was cops,” Jenkins explained.

“The policeman insulted us and while he was screaming my cousin looked away and slapped my cousin. And he said, ‘Boy, when I talk to you, you look at me. You see these people sitting at the pool. They can’t swim anymore because you contaminated it, ”Jenkins recalls.

Jenkins said his parents did not come to their defense when they found out what had happened.

“My parents told me, ‘You weren’t supposed to be there. It was a white park, ”Jenkins recalls. “We didn’t know there was a difference between a black park and a white park.”

As an adult, Jenkins said his fear of the cops stuck with him. But ultimately, as a pastor, he knew he had to overcome his “trauma”.

“I would almost have a panic attack every time a police officer followed me, so I did something. I invited our town’s white police chief to come to my church to establish a relationship with him, ”Jenkins told the audience.

“It was amazing what the Lord did in our relationship. We have become good friends. And the police chief said, ‘Lee, if you see anything that we are doing that is not conducive to racial unity, would you let me know?’ ‘

“Don’t let negativity stop you from doing what’s right in God’s sight,” Jenkins concluded. “It’s worth going through the pain because you will see the change. ”

“Recover the racist”

Bishop Kenneth Ulmer, a black pastor from Faithful Central Biblical Church in Inglewood, Calif., and the Presiding Bishop of Macedonian International Bible Scholarship, also attended the rally.

“I’m a recovering racist,” the 73-year-old bishop said after joking that he was the oldest pastor in the room and mentioned he would soon be 74.

Ulmer said that at the age of 10 he was the only black piano student in his music school. He said he would never forget when all music students, including himself, were supposed to get on a boat for a school trip to an amusement park.

On the day of the excursion, Ulmer’s parents tried to get him to board the ship, but a police station and the ship’s captain did not allow him to board.

“The big white cop said, ‘where are you going? “, And my mother said:” we are going on the Admiral [ship]. ‘”And he said,’ Not today, you are not. ‘ And then the captain took his finger and put it in my dad’s face and said, “We don’t leave niggas on this boat,” Ulmer recounted.

“Today I thought about when I looked up at my dad and saw the expression on his face when that white man put his finger on his face. It marked my mind.

Another recollection detailed by Ulmer is when he was staying at a hotel in Dallas, Texas.

As she was standing in front of the hotel to wait for her luggage, a white woman approached him and handed him his car keys, and she said, “Take care of my car, boy.”

With his experiences having a lasting impact on his life, Ulmer credits God for changing his heart so that it is no longer a racist. He did not specify what exactly made him a racist.

“I am a recovering racist. But, I am a testimony of what God said when He said, ‘He will take away your old heart and put in a new heart,’ ”he said.

As the event continued, more and more black pastors shared their stories. White leaders also took to the stage to express their empathy and recognize that “racism exists and must be stopped”.

Destined to Win national television host Reverend Frank Santora was among the white religious leaders in attendance. He is the senior pastor of the multi-campus Church of Faith, CC At New York.

Santora, who is of Italian descent, said he felt he should apologize to people like him for the history of racism in America.

“I hope that doesn’t sound too sensational. My goal is to be compassionate, ”he said. “I believe something has to happen for reconciliation, and these are excuses.”

“We often hear, ‘why should someone who lives today apologize for things that he or she was not a part of.’ And to that, I say, let’s look at Jesus, who was a representative man. Thanks to Christ, reconciliation has been brought to the world, ”Santora proclaimed.

“And so, on behalf of people who look like me, I want to apologize to people who don’t look like me for all the injustices that have happened in the past and continue. I pray that this can begin the healing process in some hearts, ”Santora said.

The New York pastor said he’s never been a victim of racism, but he’s seen it happen to others.