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Home , Gordon Granger, Harlem Renaissance

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, and read a federal order abolishing the institution of slavery in the state.

John 8:36 “So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.” Galatians 5:1 “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery.

Page 1 Is…. Page 4 Juneteenth Prayer Page 2 Official Orders Page 5 Juneteenth Art Pastor’s Words Page 7 Juneteenth Quotes Page 3 Sermon Links 1

6/17/21 President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act on Thursday afternoon, making Juneteenth a federal holiday just days before June 19. This is the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day, added in 1983. Juneteenth -- a blend of the date it’s celebrated -- marks the freedom of enslaved in the U.S. It’s also known as Freedom Day or Jubilee Day.

FROM PASTOR IVY I was 13 or 14 years old when I put to memory the words to a poem entitled “I, Too.” And when I learned of the Juneteenth federal holiday, my first words were “I, too, Sing America.” Church, I believe that the Juneteenth holiday is a great achievement for our country! And what I love, primarily, is that the holiday will allow for the exact conversation that is at the heart of the tension our country is experiencing even now. So, I can see, in homes, schools, barber shops, lodges, on the job, etc. people will discuss race like never before. Simply with the question: what is Juneteenth? So, I believe that our work has been catapulted into a good, strong and surely intense arena for dialogue and potential connection. I ask that you educate yourself with facts, so that you will be prepared for acceptance,

2 resistance, denial, alienation and silence. Congratulations to all and Happy Juneteenth to all! – Pastor Ivy I, too, sing America. I am the darker brother. They send me to eat in the kitchen When company comes, But I laugh, And eat well, And grow strong. Tomorrow, I'll be at the table When company comes. Nobody'll dare say to me, “Eat in the kitchen,” Then. Besides, They'll see how beautiful I am And be ashamed— I, too, am America. , 1902-1967- A , novelist, fiction writer, and playwright, Langston Hughes is known for his insightful, colorful portrayals of black life in America from the twenties through the sixties and was important in shaping the artistic contributions of the .

SERMONS FOR JUNETEENTH

Please click on the underlined text for sermon links  Sermon: “Is Juneteenth A Bible Thing?” by LeAnn at Tending to the Margins Is Juneteenth a Bible thing? – Tending to the Margins (ministry- within-the-margins.blog)

 Sermon: “Tell It in the Light: A Juneteenth Sermon” by Rev. Derrick Hood, United Church of Christ Tell it in the Light: A Juneteenth Sermon: June 25, 2017 - Bethesda United Church of Christ (bethesdaucc.org)

 Sermon: “Why Juneteenth Is Important to All Christians” by Pastor George Scanlon, Calvary Chapel Calvary Chapel | Why Juneteenth is Important for All Christians

3 PRAYER FOR JUNETEENTH Prayer by Pastor Janice Dames of Ausburg University In honor of the Juneteenth holiday, we offer this Scripture and Prayer for Juneteenth. Exodus 3:7,9 “Then the Lord said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings. The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. 1 Corinthians 15: 57 “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Liberating God, we offer a prayer of thanksgiving and praise for your hearing the cries of the oppressed. Bless your name for giving us the victory and freedom over slavery. We in gratitude unite all of our hearts to reflect on where you have bought us from. As we enter this Juneteenth holiday celebration let us remember all of our ancestors who longed to see this day come. Let us sing songs of joy and celebration. God thank you for the freedoms we experience, let us not take for granted at what cost we experience it. May we fill the land with songs of joy and thanksgiving in celebration in remembering your saving grace. Oh amazing and gracious God, may we all give a moment of silence to “breathe your breath of life”. And In all our times of tribulation and suffering you enabled us to endure, to build character as a people and May we continue the fight for full liberation for all people, for our indigenous siblings. Loving Parent, and always grounded in a hope that did not disappoint. Your abiding love freed us and continues to free us for the sake of your love. May we as a people begin to heal and be reconciled to each other freely in love and justice. Lord, we can’t fully celebrate while others are in need of liberation from poverty and persecution. We cry out on behalf of the families separated at our borders, as children who are detained in cages cry out for their parents. Send your word, oh God to save and free them. And Lord after a time of celebrating, give us the strength, motivation, fortitude and courage to continue to fight for social justice, equity, and to dismantle all systems of oppression and supremacy. In hopes that we all shall overcome one day. Amen _ Rev. Babette Chatman, University Campus Pastor

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6 15 JUNETEENTH QUOTES

SELECTED BY PASTOR IVY FROM

“31 Quotes That'll Inspire You on Juneteenth & Beyond” By Syeda Khaula Saad and Siena Gagliano Updated: June 17, 2021, Originally Published: June 17, 2020 www.bustle.com 1. “You can’t separate peace from freedom, because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom.” — 2. “If the cruelties of slavery could not stop us, the opposition we now face will surely fail. Because the goal of America is freedom, abused and scorned tho' we may be, our destiny is tied up with America's destiny.” — Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 3. “Every year we must remind successive generations that this event triggered a series of events that one by one defines the challenges and responsibilities of successive generations. That’s why we need this holiday.” — Al Edwards 4. “My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be together.” — Desmond Tutu 5. “Won’t it be wonderful when Black and Native American history and Jewish history and all of U.S. history is taught from one book. Just U.S. history.” — Maya Angelou 6. “We all require and want respect, man or woman, Black or white. It’s our basic human right.” — Aretha Franklin 7. “What the people want is simple. They want an America as good as its promise.” —Barbara C. Jordan 8. “Does anybody hear us pray for Michael Brown or Freddie Gray? Peace is more than the absence of war. ... Maybe we can finally say, enough is enough, it's time for love.” — Prince 9. “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” — 10. “It is not enough to be quietly non-racist, now is the time to be vocally anti-racist.” — Unknown 11. “In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute.” —

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