In 2018 the First Congregational Church Wilmot was vandalized with racist, anti-Semitic graffiti found on its front doors Sunday morning prior to service.  A diligent member discovered this hate speech and worked hard to remove the offensive markings before most of the congregation arrived that morning.  Yet this act had broader meaning and impact, requiring notification of the police who referred it to the US Attorney’s office for investigation. 

As a congregation we discussed how best to respond and soon the decision was made to hold a gathering of solidarity and love against hate.  Rev. Sara Marean asked the broader community to join in this gathering, which ended up bringing together several hundred participants from all over the state.  We heard speakers explain the meaning of the symbols, the police gave updates on how to respond, congregation members shared their hopes for healing, faith leaders offered prayer and musicians called us to sing.  Together we reaffirmed our determination and unity in promoting inclusion and love through our faith communities. This show of support was uplifting and reassuring.

For some it was a fearful attending services for the first months after this attack not knowing the identity or intentions of the person or persons who had perpetrated this crime.  Church leaders took action to provide added security, and in time the discussion moved away from this event and we settled into our regular routine at church.  And yet, this experience had changed us.  We had discovered how strong and how vulnerable we were. 

In the summer of 2020, when our country confronted the killing of George Floyd and we experienced the impact Black Lives Matter movement, we knew that even in Wilmot, New Hampshire something needed to be done.  We were not immune to the effects of racism and felt called upon to examine our stand on racial justice.  Following this call, we decided to convene a Racial Justice Committee to lead us in this work.  And so, in the fall of 2020 our faith community began exploring becoming a Racial Justice Church led by this dedicated and experienced committee who have guided us through several different phases and areas of this important journey. 

The report below, “Racial Justice Report to NHCUC Final” summarizes our journey as we moved from convening a steering committee to adopting a covenant on December 5, 2021 to become a Racial Justice Church.