Church holds 'racists anonymous' meetings in Concord

CONCORD, NC (WJZY) - A local church is raising a few eyebrows - but said it has the answer to a very incendiary subject.

It was a typical Wednesday inside Trinty United Church of Christ. The choir was practicing, and down the hall a weekly meeting, but this one may just catch some off guard.

"Well some people say they're racist, some people say they're not sure," Carol Stanley explained.

Stanley facilitates R.A., 'Racists Anonymous'. She said she is not pointing fingers.

"But we're becoming clearer and clearer on the unconscious racism that we all carry," Stanley said. "It's a way to address one's own racism as a spiritual practice and discipline."

Pastor Nathan King said about a dozen people show up each week for the meeting. This comes at a time when the subject of racism in America is front and center.

"The timing was very right for us to put our prayers into action," Pastor King said.

Pastor King said the church doors are open for anyone to come in. He's seen people young and old - and believes, for many, racism is happening without even knowing it.

As the bible points in a different direction...

"Oh, I don't think there's any question that Christ would say that God loves us all and that we need to learn how to love each other," he said.

United Church of Christ is a self-proclaimed progressive denomination.

"We ordained the first woman clergy in the United States, we ordained the first out gay man in the United States," he said.

Pastor King said he believes churches need to do a better job at fighting racism.

"I think the churches came together on civil rights, I was a product of that, but I think we got complacent and it's crept back in," he explained.

And while this church said there's plenty to sing about, there's also plenty of work left to be done.