A free, interactive workshop that offers a new perspective on working for racial justice will take place Saturday, April 28 from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm at University Church, 5655 S. University Ave. The workshop will be facilitated by Rev. Velda Love, the recently appointed Minister for Racial Justice for the United Church of Christ, based in Cleveland. The workshop is being hosted by Black Lives Matter of University Church. It is open to the public and includes lunch. RSVPs are appreciated to uchurch@UniversityChurchChicago.org or 773-363-8142.

Rev. Love will draw from a new UCC restorative justice curriculum called Sacred Conversations to End Racism ( SC2ER ). It is rooted in the belief that racism is real, but that the concept of race is invented, and has been used through the centuries to foster oppression, bigotry and violence. The workshop will provide new language, strategies and realities designed to inspire attendees to begin working in a new way to eradicate white privilege and end racism.

Rev. Love is a native Chicagoan who formerly served North Park University as the director of intercultural justice and learning. Before that she was an adjunct professor and conference speaker at North Park Theological Seminary. She was a longtime member of Trinity United Church of Christ, an experience she credits with helping to develop her spirituality, theology, and racial justice from an African and African-American perspective.

In addition to leading the Saturday workshop, Rev. Love will be the guest preacher at the 10:30 a. m. worship service on Sunday April 29 at University Church.

The new SC2ER curriculum is central to the UCC's call to action in a movement by the National Council of Churches that aims to finish the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. — to confront racism and remove it from the American culture.

"Given this critical juncture in our nation, conversations on race are still a priority," Love says. "Racial justice and racial equality need to be part of our national dialogue."

There is no charge for the Saturday workshop or lunch. Donations are welcome from those attending to help defray expenses.