Colorizing the Cross-Racial and Cross-Cultural Appointment in the United Methodist Church

This book examines the role of American churches, particularly the United Methodist Church (UMC), in perpetuating a mindset of segregation and normalizing whiteness. Focusing on the UMC’s Cross-Racial/Cross-Cultural (CR/CC) appointments, it critiques the need to address racial and cultural challenges to prevent erasure, silencing, and forced assimilation. Highlighting the experiences of Asian American clergy, the book explores both the opportunities and obstacles faced in Mainline church contexts. Introducing the concept of re(de)fined Christian Conferencing, it emphasizes the importance of integrating and honoring diverse narratives, particularly through the Transformative Community Conferencing framework. This narrative mediation approach challenges white cultural norms within the UMC, advocating for collaboration between predominantly white congregations and non-white clergy. Through a case study of a New York UMC congregation, the book demonstrates the potential for real change and provides actionable steps for meaningful transformation within one of the U.S.'s largest mainline denominations.