Other Churches Observe Juneteenth 2020
The Charleston churches are not the only ones in the U.S. hoping to use Juneteenth as a way to build bridges. Baptist pastors will gather Friday at Greater Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Rome, Georgia, to give speeches. They want to educate attendees on the history and significance of Juneteenth, as well as on “all of the things that are going on now in America and how we can bring about change,” Rev. Terrell Shields told the Rome-News Tribune.
The New Covenant Church of God in Christ in Hot Springs, Arkansas, will observe Juneteenth 2020 during its morning worship this Sunday, although the event will be pared down due to social distancing requirements. “People call it Freedom Day, I call it Independence Day, just like the Fourth of July is Independence Day for America,” Rev. James C. Lowery told The Sentinel-Record.
Minister Andre Dunson said, “Personally, I feel like knowing and acknowledging history, especially the events that led up to the freeing of the slaves, is knowing your background so that you can successfully transition into your future. If you don’t know what you come from you really don’t know what you consist of. So knowledge is power. Wisdom is essential for a good way of life.” Commemorating Juneteenth 2020 at a church seems especially fitting because, as Dunson observed, when former slaves first started celebrating their newfound freedom, “the most common [celebration] in that particular time frame was a service of prayer.”
