In March 2021, The Nett Church helped guide an in-depth discussion surrounding our Baptismal Vow, the words we speak when a child or adult is baptized.

The Vow's text includes the following phrases:
  • In Baptism, we renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness.
  • We reject the evil powers of this world.
  • And we repent of our sin.
  • And we accept the freedom and power God gives us.

In accepting this freedom, we opened a respectful space for difficult conversations. To prepare for these conversations, a library has been put in place at the Bethesda and Berkmar campuses; and, the following resources are provided to allow those interested to read a book and facilitate or participate in a respectful conversation.

Resources for Adults

Resources For Parents

  • How to talk to your child about race
    • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCXEz9M6Gic&t=20s
    • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNEKbVq_ou4&t=176s
  • Addressing Racism Beyond Books (great tips and strategies to make it part of your everyday life
    • https://thesewilddays.com/raising-good-humans-addressing-anti-racism-beyond-books/
  • 5 Ways to Address Social Justice with Children
    • https://littleblackbooknook.com/2020/06/03/five-ways-to-address-social-justice-with-children/
  • Talking About Race and Racism With Kids
    • https://whatyoumakeitblog.com/talking-about-race-and-racism-with-kids/

Resources for Children & Youth

Videos
  • Let’s Talk About Race: https://youtu.be/1vHymutysWU
  • Color of Me Song by Sesame Street: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jGf2mrP4ag
  • Sesame Street: Standing Up to Racism Town Hall
    • Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGJXR-EVYVs
    • Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5WaGAYj5Zs
    • Part 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzWQtFPy52c
  • PBS Kids: Race and Racism hosted by Amanda Gorman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fbQBKwdWPg
  • A Kid’s Book About Racism by Jelani Memory: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnaltG5N8nE&t=10s
  • A Kid’s Book About Belonging by Kevin Carroll: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D61RKIvcDJk&t=6s

Book Suggestions
  • Ages 0-2
    • Babies Around the World by PUCK
    • Antiracist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi
    • An ABC of Equality by Chana Ginelle Erving
    • Dream Big Little One by Vashti Harrison
    • All Kinds of People by Shelley Rotner and Sheila M. Kelly
  • Ages 3-6
    • Just Like Me by Vanessa Brantley-Newton
    • Together We Can by Caryl Hart and Ali Pye
    • What If We Were All the Same? By C.M. Harris
    • All are Welcome by Alexandra Pentold and Suzanne Kauffman
    • Whoever You Are by Mem Fox
    • What I Like About Me by Allia Zobel Nolah
    • A Boy Like You by Frank Murphy
    • A Girl Like You by Frank Murphy
    • The Skin You Live In by Michael Tyler
    • The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family by Ibtihaj Muhammad
    • All the Colors We Are: The Story of How We Get Our Skin Color/Todos los colores de
      nuestra piel: La historia de por qué tenemos diferentes colores de piel by Katie Kissinger.
    • Intersection Allies: We Make Room for All by Chelsea Johnson.
    • I Am Enough by Grace Byers.
  • Ages 6 and Up
    • Same, Same but Different by Jenny Sue Kostechi-ShawA Kid’s Book About Racism by Jelani Memory
    • I am Enough by Gracer Byers
    • Skin Like Mine by Latasha Perry
    • Ruby’s Birds by Mya Thompson
    • Who Did It First by Julie Leung
    • Say Something by Peter Reynolds
  • 1st-3rd Grade
    • Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Black Boy by Tony Medina
    • When We Were Alone by David A. Robertson
  • 4th Grade and Up
    • Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson
    • What Lane? by Torrey Maldonado.
    • The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander
  • Books for Teens
    • American Born Chinese by Gene Luen
    • Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi
    • Just Mercy (Adapted for Young Adults): A True Story of the Fight for Justice by Bryan
      Stevenson
    • Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah