Juneteenth (short for “June Nineteenth”) marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people were freed. The troops’ arrival came a full two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth honors the end of slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday. On June 17, 2021, it officially became a federal holiday. Juneteenth 2024 will occur on Wednesday, June 19.
Our United Methodist Church mounted a denomination-wide campaign, "United Against Racism," that urges our members not only to pray but to educate themselves, have conversations about the subject, and work actively for civil and human rights. Our TWK Conference is committed to honoring that call to action.
We are excited and encouraged that our sister, Rev. Linda Furtado was selected to coordinate the Juneteenth Wednesday morning worship for our 2024 TWK Annual Conference. This gives us all an opportunity to participate and actively support this call to action. Conversations about history can be difficult, yet with prayer and the love of God, we can be a body of Christ ready to celebrate the positive forward movement happening this week.
Please take a few moments to download the Conference App and share your experience! We want to hear your voice. Kindly share your feedback during and/or immediately after the Juneteenth Worship experience. Rev. Furtado has worked hard to overcome obstacles to provide an authentic African American worship service. Let us support her courageous work by sharing our comments and photos in the conference app.
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