COMBATTING RACISM
A conversation about hope with my colleagues in men’s ministry By Gil Hanke
On March 8, Gil Hanke, top staff executive of the General Commission on UM Men, hosted a Zoom conference with leaders of men’s ministry in African American denominations: Dr. Leo Pinkett of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Pastor Scot Moore of the African Methodist Episcopal Church Zion and Brother Monroe Miller, president of the Sons of Allen Church of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The four friends set their theological compasses to John and Charles Wesley. They agreed to allow Gil to report on the meeting focused on race relations and where they see hope.
I asked for summary statements of our conversations: “Trust your heart and get ready for change.” “Retool your mind for a new norm.” “Don’t try to be color blind; you never will be able to completely empathize; we do have a different experience. But you can show compassion and take personal responsibility for your current actions.”
Hope in younger generation All three leaders agreed that the younger guys get this. “We really need to educate our older guys in all our churches. Younger guys are much better at this,” said one. Younger men are different because of their experiences in integrated schools, colleges, workplaces, and communities. That was not the case in the past. “A younger man’s relationships are based on character, not race,” said one. The more life experiences he has the more diverse are his friends.
A painful memory One remembered when he was a youth and cleaned up a yard for a white family. As he finished his work, he was offered some food for dinner, but he was asked to eat it in the barn. Gil Hanke is the top staff executive of the General Commission on UM Men.
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We agreed that we would have difficulty taking food from anyone who told us to eat in a barn.
