Missions & Outreach

Children, Students & Youth

Programs focusing on education, mentoring and early intervention can have a critical impact to those most vulnerable to the “pipeline.”

Partners for All - Richardson ISD
REACH / Partners in Education – McKinney ISD
Commit Partnership 
FUMCR Children First School Partnerships 
Read With Me (FUMCR yearly summer program)
Wesley Rankin Community Center 
Big Brothers and Big Sisters 
Project Transformation 
Dallas Bethlehem Center 
RISD Partners Program
Explore & Support Dallas County Promise

Adults

It is never too late to make a positive impact. Compassionate ministries and organizations support the spiritual and physical needs of the incarcerated and recently released.

Kairos Prison Ministry 
One Man’s Treasure 
Prison Entrepreneurship Program 
Bridges to Life 

Implicit Bias

Many of our biases are implicit and form blind spots in our interactions with individuals as we move through the world. These biases which encompass both favorable and unfavorable assessments, refer to our unconscious attitudes or stereotypes that effect our understanding, actions and decisions. 

Take an Implicit Bias test: 
implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/
secure.understandingprejudice.org/iat/

Learn More:
ted.com/talks/verna_myers_how_to_overcome_our_biases_walk_boldly_toward_them
hbr.org/video/2515962123001/the-costs-of-racial-color-blindness

Diversity

Diversity means all the ways in which we differ. It includes both the readily visible differences and the underlying differences that may be below the surface. 

Examples of visible diversity include: physical attributes, gender, race, and age.

Some examples of diversity that may be "below the surface" include: religion, sexual orientation or identity, life experience, family status, skills, beliefs, education, and perspectives.

Challenging our Biases

First and foremost, remember that we are ALL God’s people, and that we ALL have biases.  Exposing ourselves to those different from us provides an opportunity to learn and grow - to challenge our preconceptions, to build empathy and to gain understanding.

We can all do things to bring awareness to our implicit biases.

Seeking out interactions with groups of individuals different from ourselves is one of the key ways we can dispel the conscious (explicit) and unconscious (implicit) beliefs that give rise to our biases. We encourage and challenge you to take part in activities to interact with and learn more from people who are different than you and who are also a part of our community! 

A few suggestions:
  •  Take a shopping trip to an international grocery store at Richardson’s Chinatown, Coit & Spring Valley, or Main Street & Greenville. Stop in and see what they have to offer!
  •  Dine at a locally-owned international restaurant. There might be one right around the corner. Maybe you’ve driven by it and never stopped in. Have a bite to eat and visit!
  •  Experience another culture through a faith tradition.  While this can seem intimidating, it can open the door to new insights into our differences and our commonalities, and it can be an opportunity for not only fellowship, but dialog and new friendships. FUMCR is a member of Richardson Interfaith Alliance. Visit richardsoninterfaith.org and sign up for updates.
  •  Attend a cultural event in our area. Festivals can feature food, music, as well as demonstrations of shared and different cultures and histories. Visit Dallas (visitdallas.com/about/diverse-dallas/index) can point you to upcoming events.
  •  Travel! One of the great equalizers in understanding other cultures, inspiring transformation, and building empathy is through direct experience of another culture. Rick Steves has written extensively about this in his book, Travel as a Political Act. Barack Obama discussed why travel matters with BBC in April 2019. Watch at  bbc.com/travel/story/20190425-barack-obama-on-why-travel-matters.