United Church of Rogers Park
A Church for all God’s people in the heart of the neighborhood
We support the FULL INCLUSION [marriage and ordination] of LGBTQIA+ and always will
UCRP | 1545 W Morse Ave., Chicago IL 60626-3306| Sunday Service: 10am | 773-761-2500
**URGENT MESSAGE FROM PASTOR HANNAH**
Church - a common gift card scam has been sent out from a fake email purporting to be Pastor Hannah. Pastor Hannah will never ask you for money or gift cards via email, and if you ever receive an email or request from her you are unsure about please take no action until you speak with her directly, in person or you can always call her at 717-512-8112. This guide offers some helpful security tips in the face of these scams and other common types of scams directed at churches. Thanks for the alerts and let us know if you have any questions!
GCORR Statement on Racist Video Shared by President Donald Trump
Feb 6, 2026
The General Commission on Religion and Race strongly condemns the racist video recently shared by President Donald Trump that includes imagery portraying former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes. This imagery is not accidental, nor is it harmless. Comparing Black people to primates is an abhorrent racist trope deeply rooted in the history of anti-Black racism and white supremacy, used to dehumanize Black communities and to justify exclusion, violence, and white supremacy.
At the core of this harm is a denial of imago Dei, the Christian affirmation that every person is created in the image of God and bears sacred worth. When Black people are portrayed as less than human, that divine image is mocked and denied. Such dehumanization is not only morally reprehensible but it is a theological violation that stands in direct opposition to the Gospel.
Article V: Racial Justice of the Constitution of The United Methodist Church affirms the biblical truth that all persons are created by God, bearing God’s image, and are uniquely beloved children of God. Racism, especially when expressed through dehumanizing imagery, directly contradicts this constitutional commitment and undermines the Church’s witness to God’s justice and love in the world.
As the antiracism agency of The United Methodist Church, GCORR names this moment clearly: this is blatant racism. When racist tropes are amplified by those in positions of power, the harm is magnified. Silence, deflection, or minimization only deepen the damage and betray our shared responsibility to speak truth.
Although the video was later deleted, the harm caused by sharing and amplifying racist, dehumanizing imagery cannot be undone.
We call on people of faith, church leaders, and communities of conscience to reject racist rhetoric in all its forms, to speak with courage, and to recommit themselves to the work of building a beloved community rooted in justice, equity, and the God-given dignity of every human being.
