Sanctuary Covenant Church Juneteenth festivities
Around the Covenant, we are honoring the newly minted federal holiday, Juneteenth. Juneteenth (the word is a conflation of June and nineteenth) commemorates the federal legislation that freed enslaved Africans from bondage. Although the legislation was approved in 1863, it took two and a half additional years for enslaved Africans in Texas to receive the good news on June 19, 1865. We celebrate the emancipation of a people and the power of our liberating God.
Covenant Offices, Chicago, IL
On June 12, 2024, the denominational team celebrated Juneteenth with a special chapel service honoring the holiday. As a special gift to the team, President Tammy Swanson-Draheim announced that a generous donation will make it possible for the entire staff to participate in Sankofa, the racial righteousness immersive discipleship experience. “Having been on multiple Sankofa journeys, I consider it an important discipleship experience,” she said. “I hope to one day be able to say that all employees at Covenant Offices have had this experience! What a joy to be part of a multiethnic mosaic pursuing God’s priorities in the world.” Chapel featured worship by North Park alum Kayla Sutton, an interactive activity with a timeline of events from the beginnings of African enslavement to Swedish immigration to the U.S., and how the two intersected. We concluded with a Word preached by Rev. Ramelia Williams, who reminded us how enduring faith in a God of deliverance freed a nation of people.
Sanctuary Covenant, Minneapolis, MN
Each year, Sanctuary Covenant Church co-hosts Juneteenth festivities on their church front lawn. They close several streets and Black-owned businesses sell their wares. This year, Sanctuary is highlighting Black influence on Christian faith, giving away food and produce through its Haven Community Pantry station, offering an interactive prayer station, and hosting an array of family and kid-friendly activities. Approximately 50 church members will serve at this event—running the stations, picking up trash in the neighborhood, and engaging with the community. Their band will play on the community stage set up in the street, and they will also honor and award several Northside youth with college scholarships. They participate in Juneteenth because it is a crucial day to remember the past and celebrate the strength and beauty of the Black community.
Zion Covenant, Jamestown, NY
The Love Mercy Do Justice ministry team of Zion Covenant Church in Jamestown, New York, is urging its members to volunteer and celebrate among Black brothers and sisters at this weekend’s Juneteenth of Jamestown. For the last few years, they’ve been selling raffle tickets and “soul rolls,” while grooving to Motown and Gospel as the kids hit the bounce house and get their faces painted. They do this to practice proximity to, celebrate with, and work alongside their Black friends, which tears down walls of prejudice and misunderstanding.
CHurch of Gary Covenant Church, Gary, IN
Chicago’s inaugural Opal’s Walk for Freedom is a commemorative event dedicated to celebrating Juneteenth and promoting unity, truth in history, and the freedom to vote. On the fourth anniversary of the federal Juneteenth holiday, Opal’s Walk for Freedom focuses on education, voter mobilization, and understanding the freedom that Juneteenth represents. Dr. Opal Lee, the grandmother of Juneteenth, will lead the 2.5-mile walk in Dallas, at 9:00 am CST on Wednesday, June 19, 2024, as participants in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Tokyo, Japan walk in their cities as well. Virtual participants are welcome. Join the walk from wherever you are. We invite people from across the Chicagoland area, to join us in this symbolic walk, standing together in unity, support for African American heritage, and the ongoing journey of racial healing and understanding.
Resources
- Covenant Juneteenth Timeline (Gmail login needed)
- FREEish Juneteenth Spoken Word
- What is Juneteenth, and why is it important?
- Juneteenth for Mazie (Fiction Picture Books)
- The History of Juneteenth: A History Book for New Readers
- The Nineteenth of June, Written and performed by Covenant pastor Drew Jackson of Hope East Village Church
This content originally appeared in Freedom Friday, a weekly email from the Love Mercy Do Justice mission priority of the Evangelical Covenant Church.
