Churches plan discussions on Christian response to racism

Several churches are hosting discussions about race relations in the coming days.

First Presbyterian Church of Edmond will host a virtual panel discussion at noon Tuesday with the pastors of three churches in northeast Oklahoma City. People' s Church will host a panel discussion on Wednesday that will be live at the church' s Britton Road location and also livestreamed.

The Rev. Eric Laverentz, senior pastor of First Presbyterian-Edmond, who is white, will moderate a virtual discussion with three black ministers: the Rev. D. Lavel Crawford, senior pastor of A very Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church; t he Rev. Larry T. Crudup, senior pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church; and the Rev. Major J em is on, senior pastor of St. John' s Missionary Baptist Church.

“My hope is simply to have a conversation about ` What does t he Gospel demand Christians do to respond to George Floyd?'” Laverentz said in a news release. “My hope is it can be an opportunity for Christians to honestly talk, model for others how Jesus unites people in a common cause and find common ground to move ahead together as brothers and sisters in Christ.”

The conversation will be live streamed via Facebook Live and archived on the church's website at FPCedmond.org.

Meanwhile, People' s Church's event will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday at 800 E Britton Road.

Ashley Peters, a spokeswoman for the church, said the church will practice social distancing and masks and sanitizer will be available for attendees at the live event. She said people interested in watching the event online can go to fb.com/peoplechurchtv or and youtube.com/peopleschurchtv.

“Our goal is we're going to talk about race. We're going to talk about race and how we can move forward as a community,” Peters said.