United Women in Faith, the General Commission on Religion and Race (GCORR), and the General Board of Church and Society (GBCS) join the people of The United Methodist Church and
\ncommunities across the nation and around the world in mourning the passing
\nof the Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., a towering leader in the struggle
\nfor civil rights and human dignity.<\/p>\n
For decades, the Reverend Jackson stood at the forefront of movements that
\ncalled this country to live more fully into its promises. As a close
\ncolleague of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., he carried forward the
\nvision of the Beloved Community, founding the Rainbow Coalition and using
\nhis persistent public witness to challenge systems of racism, poverty,
\nvoter suppression, and economic injustice.<\/p>\n
In his 1988 Democratic National Convention Address, Reverend Jackson
\nreminded the nation, \u201cOur dreams must be stronger than our memories.\u201d
\nIn moments of uncertainty and division, he called communities not to
\nretreat into fear, but to press forward with courage, faith, and hope.<\/p>\n
For the Church, his life stands as a reminder that justice is not
\nperipheral to the Gospel \u2014 it is central to it. His ministry embodied the
\nconviction that every person bears the image of God and is worthy of
\ndignity, protection, and opportunity to flourish.<\/p>\n
\u201cReverend Jesse Jackson reminded both the nation and the Church that
\nfaith without justice is incomplete. His life and ministry continue to
\nshape and inspire GCORR\u2019s work as we confront racism and call the Church
\ntoward equity and beloved community. He embodied a Gospel that challenges
\nsystems of injustice while affirming the sacred worth of every person. As
\nUnited Methodists, we are called to carry that witness forward \u2014 not only
\nin word, but in courageous action.\u201d
\n\u2014 Reverend Dr. Giovanni Arroyo, General Secretary, General Commission on
\nReligion and Race<\/p>\n
\u201cReverend Jesse Jackson was a champion for the people. He spoke up for
\nthe oppressed and the overlooked. He brought people into a movement for
\npeace and love. In this moment when we face threats to justice, his legacy
\ngives us hope and guidance to speak out for what is right. His relentless
\nadvocacy for social justice and civil rights inspires us all. From his
\nleadership in the civil rights movement, to his foundation of the Rainbow
\nPUSH Coalition, to his political influence, he worked relentlessly to build
\na better future for everyone. He will be remembered as a steadfast example
\nof Christ\u2019s love. United Women in Faith mourns his passing and is holding
\nthe Jackson family in our hearts.\u201d
\n\u2014 Sally Vonner, General Secretary and CEO, United Women in Faith<\/p>\n
“Reverend Jesse Jackson was a global change agent, a prophetic voice and
\nvisionary. He was a charismatic preacher who added theological substance to
\nphrases that have encouraged and uplifted millions of people. From \u201cKeep
\nHope Alive\u201d to \u201cI Am Somebody\u201c Black children and all people
\nhistorically oppressed and discounted, found in Reverend Jackson a champion
\nfor beloved community and a progressive compassionate democracy. From my
\nhigh school years in Chicago throughout four decades of ministry, I learned
\nand was impacted by his incredible long-lasting social justice leadership
\nand witness.\u201d
\n\u2014 Bishop Julius C. Trimble, General Secretary, The General Board of
\nChurch and Society.<\/p>\n
As we give thanks for Reverend Jackson\u2019s life, we recommit ourselves to
\nthe work he advanced: dismantling systemic racism, protecting voting
\nrights, expanding opportunity, and building communities grounded in justice
\nand love. We hold the Jackson family and all who labored alongside him in
\nour prayers, trusting that his legacy will continue to guide and strengthen
\nthe work ahead.
\n###<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
United Women in Faith, the General Commission on Religion and Race (GCORR), and the General Board of Church and Society (GBCS) join the people of The United Methodist Church and communities across the nation and around the world in mourning the passing of the Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., a towering leader in the struggle […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":18641,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[251,252],"tags":[],"wf_post_folders":[336],"class_list":["post-18640","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national-news","category-politics"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18640","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18640"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18640\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18642,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18640\/revisions\/18642"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18641"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18640"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18640"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18640"},{"taxonomy":"wf_post_folders","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wf_post_folders?post=18640"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}