Grace and Race

07/14/2023

Update: Grace and Race is going on a hiatus. We've loved serving you for seven years and hope to be active again soon.

03/18/2021

Our hearts are heavy as we grieve the murders of the eight individuals, including six Asian women, Tuesday evening in the Atlanta metro area. These killings feel particularly heavy in light of the rise of racially charged assaults against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. In our lament, we turn to Psalm 6 to give us the words to pray:

"I am worn out from my groaning.
All night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.
My eyes grow weak with sorrow; they fail because of all my foes.
Away from me, all you who do evil, for the Lord has heard my weeping.
The Lord has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayer."

06/10/2020

The recording from our June 4th prayer night, "Lament and Prayer: The Killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd", as well as the liturgy used for the guided prayers are now available on our webpage: www.redeemer.com/graceandrace

06/04/2020

Our friends at Redeemer East Harlem are offering a 4-part class starting June 11 on "Learning to be an Antiracist." The curriculum will include readings from Jemar Tisby, Ibram K. Kendi, Michelle Alexander, Daniel Hill, and more. You don't need to attend a Redeemer church to participate.

For details or to register, visit: https://www.reh.nyc/classes

How do we actively engage at the intersection of Micah 6:8 (what the Lord requires of us: act justly, love mercy..) and Matthew 22:39 (Jesus’ command to love our neighbors) as we consider moving toward a place of antiracism?

We can begin with ourselves. In 1910, when G.K. Chesterton was posed with the question of what was wrong with the world, he famously responded “I am.”

We all continue grieving the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and so many other Black image-bearers murdered across our nation while wondering how we can be proactive in shaping ourselves.

We can’t emphasize enough that this class is just one small step of the journey in learning to be antiracist. But if you’ve committed to that journey, we hope this class is one resource of many that might help you as you seek to love your neighbor through a Micah 6:8 lens. More info at: reh.nyc/classes.
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(Due to high demand, we have expanded capacity for this class. “Is there room for me?” “I don’t attend a Redeemer Presbyterian Church of NYC church, can I still attend?” Yes.)
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05/28/2020

A statement from Redeemer's Grace & Race concerning the tragic killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd.

"Once again our hearts are broken and our souls irate as the blood of yet another person of color cries out to God from the ground. The vile brutality of racism in America has been unmistakable in recent weeks as the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd have each been brought to light."

UPDATE: The statement is available in English, Spanish, and Korean.

Once again our hearts are broken and our souls irate as the blood of yet another person of color cries out to God from the ground. The vile brutality of racism in America has been unmistakable in recent weeks as the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd have each been brought to...

05/14/2020

We are grateful to stand with our brothers and sisters at Asian American Christian Collaborative and to share the experience of our lament and prayer night.

"The time of prayer and lament was a reminder of the beauty that can come to this earth when God’s people gather and raise their voices together in the face of injustice and suffering. Sadly, it seems that more and more spaces like this are desperately needed not just in New York, but across America.

Until that need no longer exists, Grace and Race stands in full agreement with the “Statement on Anti-Asian Racism in the Time of COVID-19.” We deeply appreciate how this conversation has been framed. We will seek to always publicize our support and solidarity with our brothers and sisters who face the very things that continue to spur the need for faithful, courageous statements and faithful, courageous action."

AACC is grateful for individuals, organizations and ministries that stand with us in the fight against anti-Asian racism. On today's blog, Grace and Race, a group within Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, share about its origins, creating space for prayer and lament, and why they signed the AACC.

Read it all here: https://asianamericanchristiancollaborative.com/blog/a-space-for-lament-and-prayer

04/21/2020

Thank you to everyone who was able to join our virtual gathering last evening to lament and pray. The video recording along with a downloadable PDF of the liturgy and guided prayers are now available on our web page: https://www.redeemer.com/r/grace_and_race

05/28/2019

05/28/2019

On May 22, 2019, Redeemer Grace & Race presented an event focused on exploring the Asian American experience and how Asian Americans may possess a unique perspective to offer in dialogue and movements on racial justice. Min Jin Lee, author of Pachinko and Free Food for Millionaires, and Michael Luo, editor of newyorker.com, discussed the uniqueness of the Asian American voice as they shared from their personal and professional experience.

Photographs by Mingmei Meng

05/20/2019

An op-ed in today's The New York Times by author Min Jin Lee about discovering the power of her voice.
We look forward to hearing more from Min Jin in conversation with Michael Luo, editor of Newyorker.com, about “the Asian American Voice" this Wednesday at W83 Ministry Center!

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/20/opinion/confidence-public-speaking.html

Power is the confidence to speak for yourself.