A Chicago-area church has announced it is taking a break from ‘whiteness’ during lent. The church will carry out its fast by abstaining from performing hymns composed or written by white musicians during the 40-day period preceding Easter.
On its website, the First United Church of Oak Park announced, that it “is doing a mix of ‘giving something up’ and ‘taking something on.’
“In our worship services throughout Lent, we will not be using any music or liturgy written or composed by white people. Our music will be drawn from the African American spirituals tradition, from South African freedom songs, from Native American traditions, and many, many more,” it said.
“For Lent, it is our prayer that in our spiritual disciplines we may grow as Christians, united in the body of Christ with people of all ages, nations, races, and origins,” the church added.
According to Turning Point USA, the church also placed a “Fasting from Whiteness” sign on its front lawn. The church is using reflections and thoughts called “evotionals” for the “fast,” it is reported.
Alleged screenshots of a March 29 entry titled “Kindness and Privilege,” were obtained by the outlet.
“We honor our fast from whiteness this Lent by prioritizing the voice of Bruce Reyes-Chow through a chapter of his book, In Defense of Kindness,” it reportedly says about the minority pastor.
The 2016 book “Don’t Be an Asshat: An Official Handbook for Raising Parents and Children” and 2013’s “But I Don’t See You as Asian: Curating Conversations about Race,” were authored by Bruce Reyes-Chow.
Turning Point USA publi Turning Point USA reported that whiteness-free services were encouraged to be viewed by First United Church members on their YouTube channel. The Washington Times Reported, the fast was explained by the Rev. Lydia Mulkey, identified as the associate pastor of education, in a video posted by the church. “In this fast from whiteness, of course, I cannot change the color of my skin or the way that allows me to move through the world but I can change what I listen to, whose voice I prioritize,” Mulkey said. “And so that is kind of the place for our worship services, through Lent, that we would fast for a time from prioritizing white voices,”
