Beloved Community

Beloved Community

 

"Our goal is to create a beloved community and this will require a qualitative change in our souls as well as a quantitative change in our lives." ~ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 

Our mission at The Beloved Community is to inspire all people to work together, creating a city on a hill that is a powerful witness to God's love and reconciling grace.

These are the established seven priorities of the committee:

  1. We want Suntree UMC to be known as a safe space. 
  2. We want to see diversity in Leadership and Membership. 
  3. We want to engage in partnership with Diverse Churches. 
  4. We want there to be less fragility in the congregation, especially around hard conversations about diversity. 
  5. We strive to be unapologetic in identity, with space for ideological “compatibility” in diversity. 
  6. We strive for alignment of staff and resources to commit to reconciliation initiatives at all levels of ministry. 
  7. We want to work within advocacy and justice priorities in our values. 

The Beloved Community Committee periodically hosts events and produces materials throughout the year to help educate and cultivate a culture of diversity and inclusivity. 

Want to know more or want to get involved? Contact Pastor Bailey at:

Beloved Community Film Viewing: "Jesus Was A Migrant"

SUMC’s Beloved Community Committee is hosting a screening of the 2026 documentary “Jesus Was a Migrant”. All are invited to gather in the Dining Room on Sunday, Aug. 23, 12 - 2:30pm, to view and discuss this film (JesusWasAMigrant.com) about “borders, belief, and what we owe each other”. No RSVP required, and a pizza lunch will be provided.

Celebrating Diversity Class 2026

Celebrating Diversity: African American History and Culture, a Beloved Community Class

Wednesday Evenings: August 26th - October 14th, 2026 (8 weeks) - 6:15pm - 7:30pm
This class will explore the history of African Americans and their contributions to American Culture. It will be taught by Rev. Dr. John Baggett and Kathy Turner. The class will highlight the journey of African Americans, beginning with African Civilizations and proceeding through the Middle Passage, Slavery, the Jim Crow Era, the American Civil Rights Era, and the Challenges of Contemporary Racial Tensions. The class will challenge participants to celebrate and be enriched by the spiritual and cultural wisdom that has arisen from the black experience in America. Use the button below to sign up!

 Register here