Race Relations in a Majority Black Town

by Harry K. Zeiders

What is it like to minister in a majority black town during the nation’s current plague of racial strife?  This is a town where the majority of residents live on welfare; a town some websites call the poorest town in Virginia; a town with high rates of social dysfunction, school truancy, and work absenteeism.  This is former slave plantation and Jim Crow country. This is a town where many local businesses still close on Wednesdays because that was the day the slave train pulled into town and the town closed shop so that everyone could go inspect the new wares on display.  More than Charlottesville, more than Richmond, perhaps more than any other place in Virginia, Emporia would appear on the surface to be a place ripe for violent protests.

But this is also a town where black and white pastors have been holding monthly prayer meetings with the white chief of police and the white county sheriff for the past five years.  This is also a town where the white ministers’ association finally integrated and voted in a black pastor as its vice president three years ago.  This is a town where black and white churches have been co-leading community revivals for the past three years.  This is a town where black and white pastors started founding a chaplaincy for the local police department and sheriff’s office a year ago.  Emporia is a town that God has been preparing for 2020.

As a result, when black and white pastors held a drive-in service on race relations earlier this month, it was peaceful and joyful and centered on the Word and work of the Triune God. The best part for me was getting to hear a fellow pastor share some reflections on what it was like to grow up as a young black man in Richmond.  The evening was so good, that at the end when one of the leaders announced we would hold another drive-in on race next month, everyone honked their horns.

The Rev. Harry K. Zeiders is the Rector at Resurrection Church in Emporia, VA.