Centennial Olympic Park Announced as Venue for OneRace March on Atlanta June 19

Thousands invited to stand united against racial violence, to lament, and to petition God and legislators for change

ATLANTA, June 8, 2020 – Following a week of protests as a result of recent racially motivated acts of violence and on the heels of its press conference to announce “The OneRace Statement on Righteousness and Justice: A call to end Racial Violence,” the OneRace Movement has confirmed the location for a March on Atlanta scheduled for June 19. Participants will convene at 9 a.m. EDT for prayer and worship at Centennial Olympic Park and then process around the Capital, before returning to the park.

“We talk a lot about knowing, owning and changing the story,” said OneRace co-director Josh Clemons “The story right now is tension and violence surrounding the many events that have precipitated this moment. We must own it in prayer, intercession and lament, and must move forward together to change the story for generations to come.”

The OneRace Movement began its efforts toward reconciliation two years ago with its first large gathering on Stone Mountain. Nearly 25,000 individuals from a wide variety of cultural and denominational backgrounds came together to repent of the past sins of racism, affirm the Church’s leadership role in overcoming our nation’s divisive past, and commit to a new unity as believers through the Atlanta Covenant. Those signing their name to the document committed to stand against racism in every form, never again allowing it to gain a foothold within their spheres of influence.

“We went to the top of Stone Mountain and made a covenant together, and now it is time to make good on that pledge,” OneRace co-director Hazen Stevens said. “We invite every individual to stand with us at the very heart of our city as we declare to every sphere of our society and every segment of our government that we want policies that are going to reflect that. We want real change that will unravel systemic racism of every kind.

“We know this work begins in a place of united prayer, beseeching our great God and Savior to release His transforming grace, and so we are going to call on both God and our civic authorities that we would see change in this moment,” Stevens continued.

The event is being called “March on Atlanta” in honor of the great non-violent Civil Rights era protests and is being held on Juneteenth to remember the historic date of emancipation, while calling for liberty and justice for all in present times. The group has secured initial authorization from Georgia World Congress Center Authority and intends to host the event in compliance with all guidelines governing an outdoor gathering, including CDC guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This will be the first sanctioned gathering at Centennial Olympic Park since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, and the crowd size will be limited to 6,000, so it is important for those who want to attend to register early.

Part of what the group will be petitioning legislators for during the March, as outlined in “The OneRace Statement on Righteousness and Justice: A call to end Racial Violence,” includes:

• For the law creators, law interpreters and law enforcers in the state of Georgia to put fresh eyes on the current statutes, and to work to ensure that the laws are written and enforced in ways that are equitable towards all.

• For elected representatives to make such changes, and for law enforcement at every level to act expeditiously against racially motivated crimes.

“At this critical moment in history, our generation is raising its voice to decry racism in the streets of our nation in an unprecedented way,” Clemons said. “The hurt, outrage and pain is deeply felt because of the violence we have seen unfold toward people of color in the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery. It is for a moment like this that God has been preparing the OneRace Movement, our mission being ‘teaching a city to love, regardless of color, class, or culture.’“

For more information and to register to join the March on Atlanta, visit the Facebook event page here:  https://www.facebook.com/events/251745402592645.

About OneRace

OneRace is a primarily young adult movement of hundreds of churches and ministries throughout Atlanta and around the U.S. working through prayer and fasting, relationship and collaboration, to displace the spirit of racism and release a movement of racial reconciliation across Atlanta, the Southeast and the nation. Through persistent prayer, authentic relationship and redemptive justice, OneRace exists to raise up a movement of racial reconciliation and revival. For more information, please visit http://oneracemovement.com.

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Media Contact:
Melany Ethridge
melany@alarryross.com

214-912-8934

Online Newsroom:

https://alarryross.com/onerace

Hundreds of Pastors with OneRace Gather to Decry Racial Violence, Call Leaders to Take a Stand

Leaders Reaffirm Commitment to Reconciliation, Announce June 19 March on Atlanta

ATLANTA, June 1, 2020 – Hundreds of faith leaders associated with the OneRace Movement, including GRAMMY award-winning hip-hop artist Lecrae, today gathered in downtown Atlanta to call the Christian community to engage in racial issues both spiritually and civically, and the legal community to act against racially-motivated crimes.

On the heels of a weekend of protests and violence as a result of recent racially motivated acts of violence, OneRace released “The OneRace Statement on Righteousness and Justice: A call to end Racial Violence” and announced a June 19 march on the Atlanta Capitol, inviting tens of thousands to join the effort to call for change.

“Today, we are not here to talk about the protests. We are not here to talk about the riots. We are not here to talk about the looting. What we are here to talk about today is the injustice in our land,” said OneRace Co-director Josh Clemons in speaking about the miscarriage of justice and the loss of lives of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd.

“We are called to love one another regardless of color, class or culture,” Clemons continued. “Now is the time for change and reform, and for the Church to lead the way.”

Local leaders who spoke or prayed at today’s event included:

• Pastor Crawford Loritts of Fellowship Bible Church,

• Pastor Jeff Norris of Perimeter Church,

• Pastor Lee Jenkins of Eagle’s Nest Church,

• Pastor Dennis Rouse of Victory Church,

• Singer/songwriter Lecrae,

• Pastors Scott and Tami Free,

• Pastor Arthur Breland of Woodland Hills Church,

• Latasha Morrison of Be the Bridge, and

• OneRace co-founders Billy Humphrey of New Bridge Church and Atlanta House of Prayer and Garland Hunt of The Father’s House.

Clemons reminded participants of a quote by Martin Luther King, Jr., that states, “The Church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and the critic of the state, and never its tool.

OneRace Co-director Hazen Stevens said that when the Church has been true to this calling, it has acted as the nation’s moral compass.

“Where the Church has practiced core Scriptural beliefs, we have succeeded in leading well,” Stevens said. “Where we have drifted from them, we have failed in our role as the conscience of our nation and drifted into silence and complicity with racism.”

He then went on to enumerate the specific beliefs of the Church reflected in today’s statement:

• We believe all people are made in the image and likeness of God.

• We also believe all humans (though created in God’s image) are broken because of sin, and that racism, hatred, bigotry, and violence are sins inherent to all fallen humanity.

• We believe that our identity as brothers and sisters united together in Christ across cultures, genders, and denominations, as expressed in the Word of God, supersedes any public, private, or personal ideology, race, gender, religion, political affiliation, culture, or creed.

• We believe where we as the Church have failed to uphold these truths, we have let down society, one another, and God Himself.

Clemons followed with a “Recounting of History of and Condemnation of Racial Violence against People of Color,” stating that the vast majority of our collective history in this nation is steeped in racial terror, division and pain, beginning with the slave trade through the Civil Rights era.

“We are here today to declare the church in Atlanta is mourning with those who mourn (Romans 12:15); our hearts go out to the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, who each died prematurely and violently,” Clemons said. “To their families, we want you to know that the Church in Atlanta is praying for you, and we want to state plainly that in memory of your loved ones we can and must do better as a nation.”

Reinforcing “The OneRace Statement on Righteousness and Justice: A call to end Racial Violence,” organizers specifically called for the following actions:

• For all individuals to work to end racially motivated acts of violence by voting in local elections for candidates that uphold the values of equity and dignity toward all races, to serve in our communities across racial lines, and to speak up and participate in nonviolent protest whenever we see injustice that demands our attention.

• For the law creators, law interpreters and law enforcers in the state of Georgia to put fresh eyes on the current statutes, and to work to ensure that the laws are written and enforced in ways that are equitable towards all.

• For elected representatives to make such changes, and for law enforcement at every level to act expeditiously against racially motivated crimes.

Pastor Tami Free further invited everyone to join in signing The Atlanta Covenant, a series of covenants developed by OneRace first announced at its 2017 event OneRace Stone Mountain and which thousands have already signed. Signatories of The Atlanta Covenant commit to “stand against racism in every form, never again allowing it to gain a foothold within our spheres of influence.”

Reflecting on his conversation with Civil Rights leader Dr. John Perkins at the Stone Mountain event, Pastor Billy Humphrey said “Dr. Perkins told me, ‘I am looking at the fulfillment of my life’s work. Now, you have to take this to the streets.’ So, on June 19, we are calling everyone to join us in taking this to the streets, together and united, saying that Jesus is the answer.”

This was also part of Pastor Tami Free’s challenge, that tens of thousands sign up to participate in a March on Atlanta on June 19, 2020, or Juneteenth, “to ask God, the Church, and our civic leaders to make a change, so there will be no more Ahmaud Arbery’s, Breonna Taylors, or George Floyds.” Participants are invited to gather at Turner Stadium at 9 a.m. to join the march to Liberty Plaza.

For more information and to register to join the March on Atlanta, visit the Facebook event page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/251745402592645.

About OneRace

OneRace is a primarily young adult movement of hundreds of churches and ministries throughout Atlanta and around the U.S. working through prayer and fasting, relationship and collaboration, to displace the spirit of racism and release a movement of racial reconciliation across Atlanta, the Southeast and the nation. Through persistent prayer, authentic relationship and redemptive justice, OneRace exists to raise up a movement of racial reconciliation and revival. For more information, please visit http://oneracemovement.com.

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Remarks by supporting pastors and leaders included:

Pastor Lee Jenkins: “It’s time for our white brothers and sisters to step up and do their part and to no longer be silent. I would ask that they do four things: listen to people of color, learn by educating yourselves about history, lament – what has broken God’s heart should break ours, and leverage – use your influence, whatever that may be, to make a difference.”

Pastor Dennis Rouse: “What’s going on is a power struggle. White people have been in power for centuries, and as our nation becomes more multi-cultural, this integration has been slow to happen in the halls of power. This is a divine moment for the Church; it has the opportunity to step into the fray and be the answer. If not, nothing will be solved. We must love each other as much as we love ourselves, and we much seek to understand rather than to be understood.”

Latasha Morrison: “The problem is systemic racism. I want to focus on the psychology behind the looting. Riots are intended to shock the white community. When a society honors property over people, the looting is intended to send a message by attacking that property. We need to let black people lead and let their voices be amplified.”

Lecrae: “I am all for the idea that the Gospel changes hearts. But that needs to be both implicit and explicit, both vertical and horizontal. There needs to be some horizontal action, not just OneRace words. It is one thing to have black friends, but do you have black leaders in your church? In hiring, are you considering qualified people who may not look like you? If we are truly living our faith, it will be uncomfortable and we should look strange to other people. We need to promote prayer, policy, protests and publicity. The system is set up for black people to fail, but black people alone can’t tear it down. I don’t just need my neighbor, I need the entire Christian body of believers.”

Bishop Garland Hunt: “The Lord judges the House of God first. The Church must be activist. The Church is to be the measuring rod, or the plumb line, who the world looks to in determining right and wrong. We are on the way, but we are not there yet.”

Pastor Scot Free: “This is a lifestyle, not a program. God, help us to be your advocates, your hands and feet.”

Pastor Arthur Breland: “We declare an end to racism – at work, at church and in the boardroom. We need to have honest conversations, even if that costs us members or donors. Racism is a discipleship issue.”

Media Contact:

Melany Ethridge

melany@alarryross.com

214-912-8934

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Press Conference Participants

Church

LifeBridge Church

Crosspointe Community Church

C3 North Atlanta

Orchard

Prayer and City Transformation Consulting

The Remnant United, Inc

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

Victory Hamilton Mills

Nomadic Thrift Co.

HighPoint Church Atlanta

Alpharetta Project Church Plant

United Church

Trinity Anglican Church

Building Hope Community Life Center

Kinstone Communities

Eagles Nest Church

Penguin Random House

IHOP Atlanta

GA State Representative Elect

Refuge Church

New City Church

Barna Group

Vigor Biopharma Solutions, Inc

Unite Atl

Covenant Life Church

New Life Praise Center

Cumming UMC

Prime Ministry

Generationz Church

Cumberland Community Church

Sanctuary

Fellowship Bible Church

City Church Eastside

Catalyst

Atlanta Christian Fellowship

Kibaale School

Open Table Community

Victory World Church

The Rock ATL

LifePoint, A Transformational Church

Fielder’s Choice Consulting, LLC

Mountain Park United Methodist Church

Life ANEW Global Ministries

Refuge Church

Metro City

Anglican Church in North America

Shine His Light Ministries

Refugee City

Fathers House

New Harvester International Ministries

Northlands Church

New Bridge Church

The Vine Church

Risen Life Church

Piedmont Church

Faith Fellowship Fun

Generations Church

Perimeter

Sugar Hill UMC

Newnan City Church

Stream Ministries Int’l

His Hands Church

Summerhill Community Minstries

The Remnant United

New Generation Baptist Church

Journey Church Loganville

Faith Christian Center

Trinity Anglican Church

Be the Bridge

Cumberland Community Church

Village Church of East Atlanta

Trinity Anglican Church

The Fountain Church

Compassion Connect

Phoenix Community of Athens

Church at the Grove

Atlanta Dream Center

North Metro Church

The Nett Church

Reveal Church

New City Church

City Takers

Unity Worship

Living on Purpose ATL, Inc.

Empowering Truth Inc.

RiverStone Church

The Outlet Community Church

Atlanta Westside Presbyterian Church

Name

Aaron Gable LifeBridge Church

Aaron Miller Crosspointe Community Church

Aaron Snow C3 North Atlanta

Abigail Dixon Orchard

Adam Shields

Akil Smith

Alan Cloar

Allison Olivas

Amanda Peters

Amy Hubbart

Andrew Harwell

Arthur Breland

Ashley Mathews

Atlas Kelly

Ben Teague

Benny Tate

Beverly Rykerd

Billy Humphrey

Bobbi Simpson

Brady Hoffman

Brandon Dean

Brooke Hempell

Carolyn Stroud

Chip Sweney

Chris Hyatt

Chris Aikens

Chris Laskey

Chris Pegues

Chris Phillips

Courtney Harkness

Craig Bowler

Crawford Loritts

Dan Decriscio

Daniel Cline

David Lee Ekklesia

David Dobra

David Park

Dennis Rouse

Dr. David Jackson

E. Lamar Young

Eddie Fielder

Ellynda Lipsey

Erven Kimble

Ethan Seifried

Flynn Johnson

Foley Beach

Frankie Holbrook

Gabe Palmer

Garland Hunt

Glenn Collier

Greg Haswell

Greg Mason

Gus Bishop

Herran Ybarra

Ike Reighard

Jacinta Cox

James Rowell

Jeff Norris

Jeff Coleman

Jimmy Ellison

Jo V Hood Revival

Justin McTeer

Justina Dix

Keith Beckwith

Keith Hammond

Ken Sirmans

Kerrick Butler II

Kris McDaniel

Latasha Morrison

Latosha Moore

Laura Douglass

Lauren Bigger

Lauren Brockett

Laurie Standfield

Lawrence McElrath

Leana Tatum

Leisa White

Lizette Sims

Lyndon Carr

Makenna Plaisance

Makida M

Marcia Steele

Maria King

Marian Parker

Marjorie Rodriguez

Marsha Williams

Martha Rick

Marvin Mariscal

Mary Brown

Mary Fraser

Mary O’Connor

Matt McGue

Matthew Armstrong

Matthew Browne

Mike McGuire

Milan Homola

Nate Platto

Nathan Boyd

Paul Palmer

Rob McDowell

Rodrigo Cruz

Rolando Gonzalez

Ryan Johnson

Scott and Tami Free

Sebastian Holley

Sequoya Finch

Serrina Thomas

Shaddái Wiggs

Shanita Davis

Sharel Johnson

Shaunte Prevot

Shay Arthur

Sheila Joyner Pritchard

Sheiletta Jackson

Shelly Briscoe

Sheri Grice

Sofia Angeles

Sonya Benavides

Stacey McKinney

Sterline Cezile

Susan Williams

Suzette Dyke

Tami Boyd

Thornell Cheeks

Tom Tanner

Vince Thomas

Walter Henegar

OneRace Movement to Host Press Conference Denouncing Racism, Uniting Pastors

Faith Leaders across Atlanta Unite to Reaffirm Commitment to Uphold Dignity and Value of Every Person, Call Politicians to Respond

ATLANTA, May 29, 2020 – The OneRace Movement, which two years ago hosted the historic OneRace Stone Mountain event calling people of faith to gather in unity and repent of racism and division, will host a press conference on Monday, June 1, to remind faith leaders of their commitments, and to call local politicians to create legislation denouncing racism, releasing “The OneRace Statement on Righteousness and Justice: A call to end Racial Violence.”

The press conference will be held on Monday, June 1, at 1 p.m. EDT on Liberty Plaza in front of the State Capitol in downtown Atlanta at 206 Washington St. SW, Atlanta, GA 30334. Participants will include several local pastors, including Lee Jenkins of The Eagle’s Nest, Dennis Rouse of Victory Church, Billy Humphrey of New Bridge Church and Atlanta House of Prayer, and Garland Hunt of The Father’s House. As Georgia is one of only four states in the U.S. that does not have a law-making crimes targeting any specific group of people hate crimes, OneRace Movement leadership is in agreement that there should be stronger laws with which to prosecute people who commit crimes with racist intent.

“What has transpired in our nation in recent weeks has been a sobering reminder that racism and discrimination are still real threats to people of color, and we must do more as faith leaders to put a stop to it,” said Josh Clemons, co-director of the OneRace Movement, referencing the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, and Christian Cooper’s experience in Central Park. “We are calling pastors and community leaders throughout greater Atlanta to join us in making this statement, and in requesting that our government put together a bill denouncing racism as a hate crime in our state.”

Two years ago, following OneRace Stone Mountain, hundreds of religious leaders signed the Atlanta Covenant, a document that was created to clarify and underscore each person’s individual commitments to end racism and promote reconciliation, explained Hazen Stevens, OneRace Movement co-director. “We want to remind local leaders of their commitments and invite others to join us in our promises to ‘stand against racism in every form,’ … ‘to affirm the dignity and value of every person regardless of culture or gender,’ … and ‘to stand firm against all racial and religious division until racism, religious separation, and segregation are completely eradicated in the Church of Jesus Christ.’”

The press conference will be held outdoors so that those in attendance can maintain social distance, and the wearing of masks will be encouraged. The event will be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person. More information can be found online at www.oneracemovement.com or on OneRace’s Facebook page.

As a follow-up to the press conference, the OneRace Movement will be inviting thousands of individuals from throughout the state to join them in a march and a rally at the Georgia State Capitol on June 19 to follow-up on the request for hate crime legislation, to ensure that local politicians are hearing the voices of a people united against racism. Participants are invited to gather at Turner Stadium at 9 a.m. to join the March to Liberty Plaza.

About OneRace

OneRace is a primarily young adult movement of hundreds of churches and ministries throughout Atlanta and around the U.S. working through prayer and fasting, relationship and collaboration, to displace the spirit of racism and release a movement of racial reconciliation across Atlanta, the Southeast and the nation. Through persistent prayer, authentic relationship and redemptive justice, OneRace exists to raise up a movement of racial reconciliation and revival. For more information, please visit http://oneracemovement.com.

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Media Contact:
Melany Ethridge
melany@alarryross.com

214-912-8934

400th Anniversary of US Slavery Declared a Day of Remembrance and Lamentation

OneRace Movement to Honor, Celebrate African-American Legacy

ATLANTA, June 25, 2019 – The first slave ships landed at Jamestown, Virginia, on Aug. 25, 1619, introducing slavery to the U.S. 400 years ago, forever changing American history in ways that are still being realized today.  As part of that journey, the OneRace Movement is calling the modern Church to a Day of Remembrance to commemorate this anniversary and to engage in a national discourse around the celebration and lamentation of the African American legacy.

“In this hour, the church must demonstrate leadership by speaking with clarity regarding Biblical justice and racial reconciliation,” said Josh Clemens, co-director of the OneRace Movement.  “We believe this season of remembrance can act as a healing balm to the racial wounds of our nation, furthering spiritual renewal.”

Lamentation and celebration are key expressions that will comprise the Day of Remembrance and the season leading up to it, beginning with the 400Conference on Aug. 2-3, 2019, at the Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta.  Speakers include Civil Rights pioneer Dr. John Perkins, Passion Movement founder Louie Giglio, and OneRace Movement co-founders Bishop Garland Hunt (The Father’s House) and Pastor Billy Humphrey (International House of Prayer Atlanta), among others.

“This is a special event intended to launch us into a journey into the heart of God in the month of August, where we will seek to know the story of our collective history regarding the Church and race, so we can own – and ultimately change – that story together,” said Hazen Stevens, OneRace Movement co-director.

The 400Conference will include a one-day Leadership Summit on Aug. 2 designed especially for those who will guide their own congregations through this month of reflection. Hosted by OneRace Movement in partnership with Mosaix Church Network, Christian Alliance of Pastors, Unite Atlanta, Catalyst as well as The Lee Jenkins Group, the conference will include session topics such as Reconciliation and the Gospel, The 400-year American Church Story, Race Relations for Millennials and Generation Z, and How to Lead your Church into a Multi-Ethnic Reality.

Following the 400Conference, the OneRace Movement will lead a 21-day fast for spiritual breakthrough, welcoming believers from across the country to unite in prayer and fasting, contending for racial reconciliation in our nation and revival to come to our land. This will lead up to a Day of Remembrance service hosted at participating churches across Atlanta on Sunday, Aug. 25. The service will be comprised of times of reflection, response and resolution, intended to unite and strengthen the Body of Christ.

Individuals can register to attend and pastors can register their churches to participate at www.oneracemovement.com/dayofremembrance.

The 2019 OneRace Journey builds on the momentum started by the movement last summer at OneRace Stone Mountain, where individuals of all racial and cultural backgrounds came together in unity from throughout the Atlanta region. Thousands of individuals gathered on Georgia’s historic Stone Mountain on Aug. 25, 2018, to repent of racism and division while acknowledging that – as people of faith – we can and should do better.

“As our nation collectively mourns the beginning of the slave trade in the U.S. 400 years ago this August, it provides the opportunity to reflect on the role each of us has individually in denouncing racism and embracing unity,” said OneRace Movement co-founder Billy Humphrey.

“The Christian church in the U.S. – especially in the South – is just now beginning to wake up to the evils of racism and slavery that it allowed to happen on its watch,” added his OneRace Movement co-founder Bishop Garland Hunt. “Now, Christians are working together to lead the effort toward reconciliation and racial healing in this important 400th anniversary year of slavery in the U.S.”

OneRace is a young adult movement of more than 200 churches and ministries throughout Atlanta and around the U.S. working through prayer and fasting, relationship and collaboration, to displace the spirit of racism and release a movement of racial reconciliation across Atlanta, the Southeast, and the nation. For more information, please visit http://oneracemovement.com.

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Media Contact:
Melany Ethridge
melany@alarryross.com

972-267-1111

Online Newsroom:

www.alarryross.com/newsroom