Social Justice

At Mill Plain United Methodist Church we believe that the diversity of creation reflects the diversity within God’s own nature; that all people are created in God’s image; and that God shows no partiality. We stand by the Gospel teaching to “love your neighbor as yourself.”

The reality is that many marginalized groups are often not welcomed and affirmed in churches. Therefore, we believe it is not only important to state that Mill Plain United Methodist Church welcomes all people but to make it clear that our church values, affirms, and welcomes LGBTQIA+ people and people of all races. To this end we have joined the Reconciling Ministry Network, thereby adopting their Foundation Reconciling statement, and we have developed and adopted the following Antiracism Statement.

We celebrate God’s gift of diversity and value the wholeness made possible in community equally shared and shepherded by all.  We welcome and affirm people of every gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation, who are also of every age, race, ethnicity, physical and mental ability, level of education, and family structure, and of every economic, immigration, marital and social status, and so much more. We acknowledge that we live in a world of profound social, economic, and political inequities.  As followers of Jesus, we commit ourselves to the pursuit of justice and pledge to stand in solidarity with all who are marginalized and oppressed.

As a faith community we commit ourselves to the antiracism work that is ours to do. We are called to check our own privilege while opening our eyes to the educational, economic, criminal justice, and health disparities that stem from racism. We recognize the intersection of racism with homophobia, classism, sexism, ableism, and other forms of prejudice that disproportionately affect people of color. We must work against anything that marginalizes people. In order to do better, we must be willing to admit our imperfections and insecurities and be willing to be uncomfortable. We strive to repent of the racism ingrained in us and in the church itself. We stand against White Supremacy.

We understand that racism has been deeply rooted in our society for over four hundred years.  We will actively participate in the unraveling of systemic racism and oppression.  We commit to educating ourselves, adopting antiracist policies, and working with institutions in our community to counter the effects of racism and to promote social justice.

We honor the Indigenous people on whose traditional and ancestral homelands  our church stands: the Cowlitz, the Chinook, the Grand Ronde,  the Yakama peoples, and others who lived here.

We acknowledge the ancestors of this place and recognize that we are here because of the sacrifices forced on them.

In remembering these communities, we honor their legacy, their lives, and their descendants.  We strive to continue their stewardship of the land in our own stewardship.