by Rev Allison Mark, Cal-Pac first-elect clergy delegate

Let’s be honest. We can recite “Do no harm” until the hymnals fall off the pews, but unless we name the actual harm—racism, white supremacy, nationalism, colonialism—it’s just spiritual small talk.

That’s why the third constitutional amendment we’ll vote on at Annual Conference is so critical. It doesn’t just affirm that we’re against racism in general. It says, in writing, that we as a Church are committed to actively dismantling it—within our own structures and out in the world.

This is about being anti-racist, not just “non-racist.” And yes, there’s a difference.

What the Amendment Does

This proposed amendment expands Article IV of our Constitution to include a clear, forceful statement against racial injustice. Specifically, it names our opposition to:

• Racism in all its forms
• Racial inequity
• Colonialism
• White privilege
• White supremacy

It doesn’t stop at good intentions. It names the systems. It names the sin. And it names our responsibility to respond.

As Rev. Dr. Giovanni Arroyo, General Secretary of the General Commission on Religion and Race (GCORR), put it: “These changes reflect a critical shift in the church’s acknowledgment of and response to deeply entrenched racial injustice.”

Why This Matters

For decades, the UMC has published anti-racism resources, created diversity initiatives, and hosted town halls on racial equity. Those are good steps. But none of that—not even the strongest resolution or General Conference statement—carries the lasting authority of a constitutional amendment.

This puts racial justice at the core of who we are as a Church, not just an optional ministry or trending topic. It gives us the theological and structural grounding to make bold moves.

If Ratified: What Could This Look Like by 2028?

• In Annual Conferences: Racial equity audits could become standard practice—not just for hiring or clergy appointments, but for budgets, church planting, and leadership development.
• In Central Conferences: Regions with colonial mission legacies could reshape theological education, prioritize local leadership, and engage in decolonizing worship and discipleship practices.
• In Local Churches: Congregations might form racial justice teams, create partnerships across racial and ethnic lines, or revisit their own histories—asking not just “Who built this church?” but “Who was excluded from it?”
• In Global Conversations: This amendment could pave the way for deeper solidarity among regions navigating legacies of slavery, caste systems, indigenous erasure, and racialized violence.

What This Is Not

This is not about shame. It’s not about blame. It’s about truth and transformation.

It’s about finally telling the whole story—and letting the gospel shine brighter because we’re not afraid of the shadows.

We are a resurrection people. And resurrection doesn’t happen without naming death first.

Voting Details

Just like the other amendments for ratification, this amendment must be voted on exactly as written. It requires a two-thirds majority across all annual conferences worldwide. Clergy in full connection and lay members of conference: your votes go into the global total.

We don’t vote just for ourselves—we vote as a global body for the body of Christ.

Final Thought: Less Performative, More Prophetic

In a world that often treats racial justice as performative (cue the Instagram black squares and diversity webinars), this amendment offers us something prophetic. It’s not a quick fix or a PR stunt. It’s a declaration.

We’re not afraid to name white supremacy. We’re not too polite to call out injustice. And we’re certainly not finished becoming the Church God dreams of.

Because baptismal waters don’t erase color. They bless it. They anoint it. And they call us to build a Church that does the same.