Conference on
Racial Reconciliation

By Thomas C. Hanson

PASADENA--The Worldwide Church of God was host to a Conference on Racial Reconciliation in the Ambassador Auditorium May 14 to 16.

The theme was "One Heart, Mind, Spirit, Blood" based on Acts 4:32; 17:26. The conference focused on ending segregation and prejudice within the Christian community. The highest attendance at any one session was 255.

The conference was directed by Tyrone Cushman, pastor of the Pasadena Church of God, which sponsors the Reconciliation and Empowerment of All People (REAP) Foundation.

Joyce Steator, vice mayor of Pasadena, gave a brief address. William Turner, pastor of New Revelation Baptist church in Pasadena, attended and participated.

The conference asked: "Can the power of God defeat racism? Then why is 11 on Sunday morning the most segregated hour of the week?"

According to Curtis May, Pasadena district superintendent and director of the WCG's Office of Reconciliation Ministries, the purpose of the conference was to bring Christians together from different denominations to make sure all were reconciled to one another and to model reconciliation for others.

Mr. May said that the unchurched were invited so they could see what reconciliation is like and to have a lasting effect on all who attended, that they might possibly continue the reconciliation process.

Speakers included Che Ahn, senior pastor of Harvest Rock Church in Pasadena; Isaac Canales, director of Hispanic Church Studies and assistant professor of New Testament at Fuller Seminary; Curtis DeYoung, president of Twin Cities Urban Reconciliation Network in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota.

Joseph Garlington, senior pastor of Covenant Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Gordon Kirk, senior pastor of Lake Avenue Congregational Church; Curtis May, director of the WCG's Office of Reconciliation Ministries; and Joseph Tkach, WCG pastor general.

"We saw the hand of God in the whole weekend," Mr. May said. "People told me how they were moved to reconcile with others."

Joseph Tkach

Tyrone Cushman

Joseph Garlington

Curtis May

Che Ahn

Isaac Canales