Beverly Church Dedicates Black Lives Matter Banner

BEVERLY, MA – The First Parish Church of Beverly joined other Unitarian Universalist Churches on Sunday when it officially dedicated a Black Lives Matter banner on the front of the church.

Earlier this year, the Beverly congregation voted on whether to join other UU churches nationwide in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, and decided they would only display the banner if the vote was more than 3/4 in favor. They voted overwhelmingly – over 90 percent – "yes." Only members who had been with the church for more than three months could vote.

In the church's statement of intention, it says that the banner is "a demonstration of our intention to strive for justice, equity and compassion in human relations."

In 2015, the Unitarian Universalist Association released a social justice statement in support of the BLM movement. The statement listed some of the injustices against the black community, including institutionalized racism and police brutality.

"No matter who you are, black lives matter, and a system of fair, transformative, and restorative justice that is accountable to communities is something to which each of us has a right," concluded the association's statement.

Click here to read more about the Black Lives Matter movement.

Image via Taylor Rapalyea, Patch Staff