Building Beloved Community
Beloved community: a community of Jesus in which everyone is cared for, absent of poverty, hunger and hate. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. popularized the term during his lifetime of activism and imbued it with new meaning, fueled by his faith that such a community was, in fact, possible.
Building Beloved Community is a committee of the Village Church Session, the church’s governing body. Its purpose is to work within/outside Village Church to follow our faith's teaching in justice for, inclusion of and welcome to all people. The committee's work focuses on diversity, equity and inclusion specifically around race and ethnicity, but also including gender, sexual orientation and identity, age and ability.
Building Beloved Community is a committee of the Village Church Session, the church’s governing body. Its purpose is to work within/outside Village Church to follow our faith's teaching in justice for, inclusion of and welcome to all people. The committee's work focuses on diversity, equity and inclusion specifically around race and ethnicity, but also including gender, sexual orientation and identity, age and ability.
A legacy of civil rights activism
In 1965 and 1966, Dr. Bob Meneilly, founding pastor of Village Church, delivered several sermons urging his all-white congregation to welcome African American residents into their suburban neighborhoods and church. These messages prompted several complimentary letters but also a flood of hate mail. Dr. Bob stood firm in his beliefs about equal rights. He spoke out in newspapers, at meetings and from his pulpit. In a 2012 oral history, Meneilly reflected on the impact of his civil rights preaching: “It was very hard for some people. We lost 300 members one year."
Today, we are are actively committed to continuing the legacy begun by Dr. Bob in the 1960’s and continue to do everything possible to live toward Dr. King’s “Beloved Community."
In 1965 and 1966, Dr. Bob Meneilly, founding pastor of Village Church, delivered several sermons urging his all-white congregation to welcome African American residents into their suburban neighborhoods and church. These messages prompted several complimentary letters but also a flood of hate mail. Dr. Bob stood firm in his beliefs about equal rights. He spoke out in newspapers, at meetings and from his pulpit. In a 2012 oral history, Meneilly reflected on the impact of his civil rights preaching: “It was very hard for some people. We lost 300 members one year."
Today, we are are actively committed to continuing the legacy begun by Dr. Bob in the 1960’s and continue to do everything possible to live toward Dr. King’s “Beloved Community."
What We Do
FormationEducating ourselves and growing in understanding
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ExplorationConversing with others about our past and our journeys forward
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TransformationIdentifying ways we might change regarding cultural and structural opportunities and obstacles
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EngagementJoining with other individuals/groups in mutual relationship to grow in our church's commitment to equity and inclusion
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JOIN US IN OCTOBER 2024
Human Rights Pilgrimage to Alabama
An educational journey to better understand the deep history of racism in our country and ways to dismantle it.
Check back soon for more details, cost and registration.
Check back soon for more details, cost and registration.
Selma
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Birmingham
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Montgomery
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“When we know better, we do better."
— Dr. Maya Angelou
— Dr. Maya Angelou
Educate & Engage
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Juneteenth Freedom Celebration
Prairie Village Juneteenth Freedom Celebration was held for the third consecutive year on June 17, 2023, with sponsorship from Stand Up for Black Lives PV, Johnson County NAACP, City of Prairie Diversity Committee, and Village Church. The event was well-attended by many people who celebrated the holiday with great live music, food from Black-owned vendors, posters depicting "What Juneteenth Freedom Means to Me" created by area children - including many from Village Church, and remarks from U.S. Representative Sharice Davids as a featured speaker. Family fun was abundant with water slides, games, crafts, face painting, balloon artists and shopping at Black-owned business kiosks. Rev. Dr. Dionne Boyice of Village Church offered the opening prayer and Village Church volunteers numbered among those assisting with the event. |
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Black Archives Pilgrimage
On March 25, 2023, the committee sponsored a pilgrimage to the Black Archives of Mid-America in the 18th & Vine neighborhood. Executive director Dr. Carmaletta Williams hosted our tour of the permanent exhibit "With My Eyes No Longer Blind," which traces the story of Black people in Kansas City, Missouri from the Lewis & Clark expedition to the mayorship of Emanuel Cleaver II. We learned about the Community Remembrance Lynching Project, which honors soil from sites in the state where lynchings have taken place. |
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I Have a Dream (Home) Action and Celebration Event Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Committee members are actively engaged with a coalition of local organizations in planning the annual Prairie Village “I Have a Dream (Home) Action and Celebration Event Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” that has been hosted at the Village Church Mission Campus for the past two years. The third annual event will be from 4-5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024, at Village Church. |
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Redlining Exhibit Pilgrimage to the Johnson County Museum
On Oct. 22, 2022, the committee sponsored a group pilgrimage to the “Redlined: Cities, Suburbs and Segregation” exhibit at the Johnson County Museum followed by lunch and discussion. We learned about policies and laws that were enacted post World War II to restrict where non-white people could buy homes. |
We are excited to announce that Village Church is now a recognized Matthew 25 Congregation by the Presbyterian Church (USA).
We have joined over 1,100 other congregations worldwide in this movement that centers on these three focus areas:
We have joined over 1,100 other congregations worldwide in this movement that centers on these three focus areas:
Building congregational vitalityby challenging congregations and their members to deepen and energize their faith and grow as joyful leaders and disciples actively engaged with their community, seeing new disciples engaged in ministry and longstanding believers develop in faith as the gospel of Jesus Christ is shared in word and deed.
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Dismantling structural racismby fearlessly applying our faith to advocate and break down the systems, practices and thinking that underlie discrimination, bias, prejudice and oppression of people of color.
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Eradicating systemic povertyby acting on our beliefs and working to change laws, policies, plans and structures in our society that perpetuate economic exploitation of people who are poor.
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This work is a direct response to the good news of Jesus and a faithful expression of what it means to be Christ’s disciples in this time and place. As we embark on this work as a Matthew 25 congregation, we look forward to showcasing initiatives that are already meeting these focus areas and developing new initiatives to keep us working towards a more just and inclusive world.
Theologians note that there is no debate here [Matthew 25] about what one believes or does not believe. The only criteria here for God’s judgment is how we cared for one another and not just one another but for those persons whom Jesus calls the least of these: the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, the prisoner—and not just because they are hungry or thirsty...but because they are Jesus Christ himself. The only criteria for salvation here is that we would see the face of Jesus Christ in the least of these.
— Rev. Dr. Rodger Nishioka, Village Church co-pastor
JOIN US
How to get involved
The committee typically meets from 12:30-2:30 p.m. on the first Sunday of each month in Room 132 at the Mission Campus and is always open to new members. Contact Rev. Dr. Rodger Nishioka if you are interested in joining the committee or drop in and attend a meeting to start.
