Dear Editor,
One of the three strategic goals for the Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church is “to live out the conviction that racism is incompatible with Christian teaching.”  

We encourage ongoing self-reflection, cross-cultural sharing and growth, challenging even our own structures along with those in society to pursue equity.  Some of our own distinguished leaders (who hold PhDs), who happen to be people of color, have experienced racial profiling while walking from a church meeting along with others who attended that meeting. They were followed and stopped by the local police of that town - for walking out of a church after a church meeting. There had been no crime reported. They don’t look suspicious.
This sort of thing must stop. Innocent people being killed must stop.
Karen Bonnell
Member of Steward United Methodist Church and the Northern Illinois Conference