Commission on Religion and Race
Eastern Pennsylvania Conference, The United Methodist Church

A Commitment to Support BIPOC-Owned Businesses

“. . . he (God);will not forget your work and the love you have shown him
as you have helped his people and continue to help.” Hebrews 6:10

We, the members of the Commission on Religion and Race (C.O.R.R.), in conjunction with the Healing the Wounds of Racism Core Accountability Team, are advancing our efforts to work for racial justice and reconciliation, having begun those efforts through coursework designed to help us reframe age-old paradigms about race. We seek to foster new learnings, understandings and commitments, as individuals in our denomination and in the world, to address the consequences that racial injustice and disharmony have manifested in the oppression of Black, Indigenous, and all People of Color (BIPOC).  

While aware of these ongoing world challenges, we are also mindful that as an organization we are called to do more.  As people of faith, Scripture reminds us that as we continue to help God’s people, the Lord remembers our work.  This work challenges us to not only help those who are God’s people, but to prayerfully and purposefully extend our efforts to all who are part of the Creator’s kingdom and especially all who experience oppression and injustice based on their racial-ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

C.O.R.R., in its mission to challenge, equip and enable full and equal participation of the racial constituency of EPAUMC also desires to expand its witness by demonstrating  in tangible ways our support for BIPOC people and organizations.  To that end, we are committing to direct 25 percent of our budget expenditures to support BIPOC-owned businesses as an act of our Christian witness for justice, affirming and supporting the valuable contributions made in society by BIPOC people.

C.O.R.R. further acknowledges that this support is a show of solidarity and support of the value of goods and services offered by BIPOC people.  To this end we recommend other conference ministries to adopt a similar commitment.

Adopted by unanimous vote 11/04/2021