First, love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Second, love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Then, there would be no division in the body, and its parts would have equal concern for each other. We work together toward racial reconciliation, supporting and building upon our state convention and eleven associations of churches, in an effort to create the Beloved Community by telling the truth – proclaiming the dream – practicing the way – repairing the breach.
We support and build upon the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware (BCM/D) churches becoming Beloved Community ministries, following their guidance to learn – pray – act.
Pray – act. Vision sources: Mark 12:28-31, John 13:35, Romans 12:10, 1 Corinthians 12:25.
Statement on racial reconciliation
As people of Christian faith who follow the teachings of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and our Baptist Faith and Message of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) and BCM/D, we stand united in our realization that racism in our country is a sin against God, a violation of our Constitution, and a threat to peaceful coexistence.
To protect our communities, we stand united with the conviction that this chronic illness of systemic racism embedded in our culture and in our institutions must stop.
Hearing the voices of those who plead for life, even as we see life taken away, we identify with and join the justifiable call for the cessation of the inhumane and intolerable pain being inflicted upon our people. Therefore, we join their cry that African-American lives do matter. Moreover, we add our voices to their anguished cry for equality, liberty, justice and human dignity for a suffering people.
The African-American Fellowship (AAF) is of one mind. We commit to pursuing racial reconciliation.
Prayer for racial reconciliation
“Our Almighty God, You created humanity in your own image, and without You we are all incomplete.
“Give us, we beseech You, the courage to confront racism and prejudice in our societies, in our churches, and within ourselves.
“Give us eyes to see Jesus in those who are racially marginalized.
“Give us ears to hear the glorious wonders of His love and allow our hearts to be in communion with the least, the last, the lost, and the lonely.
“Give us the fortitude to relentlessly pursue racial justice and healing, until we all are of one mind, grateful for the beauty of Your created diversity. This we pray in the name of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”
Signed by members of the AAF:
Rev. Dr. Nathaniel Thomas, President
Rev. Vernon Lattimore
Rev. Victor Kirk
Rev. Clyde Pearson
Rev. Byron Day
Minister Monroe Weeks
Rev. Michael Salim Mattar Sr.