Two Congregations, One Pastor, and a Quest for Racial Unity

Two churches outside Chicago are working to come together across differences in faith, race, and class - a trifecta of America's biggest divides. Hope Presbyterian, a predominantly white congregation, and Bethel New Life, a predominantly Black church rooted in Baptist traditions, began sharing a building a decade ago. Now, they share the same pastor. This is the story of a relationship that started as cool and distant before evolving into a very intentional search for understanding, respect, and community.
About The Commons:
The Commons is a project from the Chronicle of Philanthropy that reports on stories about the organizations and people who are working to heal the nation's divides. With a special focus on the role of philanthropy and nonprofits, the project includes deeply reported stories, guest opinion essays, a live interview series, and more at: philanthropy.com/thecommons