I grew up in a preacher’s home and my father always treated people of other races and colors with great dignity and respect. We didn’t hear racial slurs or derogatory terms used for people’s race or culture other than our own. My dad’s openness and courteousness to people of different racial and ethnic groups rubbed off on me, something for which I am so grateful. Recently I read an article that gave me information about my father I didn’t know before. In 1927 he was appointed pastor to a congregation in Pennsylvania with both white and black members. There existed great love and harmony between the two. They worshiped together, fellowshiped together, ate together, and spent hours after church talking to each other. One member of the church at that time described their worship services as “dynamic, exciting, and Spirit-filled.” That’s where he grew to love and appreciate black and white believers in one accord and gained great respect for those who didn’t look on the color of someone’s skin, but color of one’s heart to foster brotherhood and sisterhood. In 1943 someone decided that the congregation could grow faster and serve people better if they split in two, since it was well-known that black and white congregations worshiped differently. I’m not here to judge if that decision was right or wrong. But I do feel that given today’s racial climate, had they stayed together their congregation might have served as a beacon for other churches to follow as a true model of genuine Christian fellowship. To this day I thank God I was raised in a home where racial discrimination did not exist.