Injure the Black church and you have injured the present and future and have destroyed the past. All are derived from or related to the church. Attack the church and you are attacking the Black culture, the social and economic base of the Black community. Burn a church and you have burned up history. Psalm 74 speaks of the destruction of the church by our foes.
Church burnings are an effective way for foes of faith to violate entire communities.
It is working to respond to hate activity, helping to rebuild churches, and helping to heal communities that are victimized by hate. One of MMHV's goals is to widen the nation's ability to see and act against hate in ways that address the depth of the human-rights violation. So far, more than 30 congregations have received grants to help rebuild their churches from this fund. Sandra Peters is a consultant to the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries. She works with the cross-functional team on Ministry in the Midst of Hate and Violence.