06/19/2026
“Any message that is not related to the liberation of the poor in a society is not Christ’s message. Any theology that is indifferent to the theme of liberation is not Christian theology.” - Dr. James Cone
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Today we honor Juneteenth, the day when the last enslaved Black Americans learned of their freedom, more than two years after emancipation had been declared.
As a Jesus-shaped community, we celebrate Juneteenth because liberation is at the heart of God. We follow a God who hears the cries of the oppressed and enters into the story. We show up in solidarity and commit ourselves to the ongoing work of repair, freedom, dignity, and flourishing for Black lives.
Juneteenth calls us to tell the truth about our history and our present. It calls us to celebrate Black resilience, joy, creativity, faith, and resistance while committing ourselves to dismantling white supremacy, decolonizing our theology, repairing harm, and centering Black voices and lives in our advocacy.
We honor Juneteenth because following Jesus means working toward a world where every person is treated with the sacred dignity they already possess as image-bearers of God.
May we continue the work of liberation, not only in remembrance of the past, but in response to the present… joining God’s ongoing work of justice, repair, and collective flourishing for all.
