Antiracist Bulletin Language

If you plan to use jazz and other forms of Black American music in worship, especially in predominantly white worship spaces, consider how you will contextualize this music to honor the peoples and cultures from which this music comes. Through this music, there is an opportunity to challenge Eurocentric notions in worship. The music can serve as an empowering connection point for antiracist and racial justice ministries broadly speaking within the church.

To help with the work of contextualizing jazz in worship I’ve drafted explicitly antiracist bulletin language that can be spoken, printed, or projected as part of the worship experience.

I’ve written a short article entitled Jazz In The American Worship Context for more perspective on the word “jazz” and what it means to play jazz and other forms of Black American music in worship.