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BEVERLY A new Black Lives Matter banner will be hung on the side of First Parish Church on Sunday, a symbol of the congregations commitment to racial equality, according to its pastor, the Rev. Kelly Weisman Asprooth-Jackson.

The banner will be dedicated Sunday at 2 p.m.

It comes out of our goal of a world of justice and peace, Asprooth-Jackson said.

Nationally, Unitarian Universalist churches like First Parish have shown support for the movement; a resolution passed by the 2015 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association encouraged this.Since then, many UU churches have decided to hang banners to show their support.

Asprooth-Jackson said the congregations decision was sparked by horror and grief at how endangered the lives of black people are.

Ward 2 City Councilor Estelle Rand, who will speak at the dedication, called the move by the church timely.

There has been a lot of public activity that encourages dialogue and kind of supports our identity as an inclusive community, she said. I definitely support them putting the banner up.

First Parish has few black members, according to Asprooth-Jackson, and most of them are children, which impacted the congregations decision. They want to make sure the kids know they are loved and valued, he said.

This is not just speaking up on behalf of members, he said. This is us being committed to justice for all people.

The congregation recognizes that the banner could be subject to vandalism; a church in Reno, Nevada, has had to replace its banner multiple times.But its the message behind the banner thats significant, Asprooth-Jackson said.

The banner is a statement that reflects a commitment, he said, adding that the church will replace it if need be. The commitment is what matters to us.

How long the banner will stay up is uncertain. The easiest explanation, Asprooth-Jackson said, is when there is racial justice, but added that thats big changes.

The banner installation comes just after the citys School Committee adopted a resolution to take on a sanctuary designation.

For Rand, the recent conversations around the city are part of Beverlys identity as an inclusive community.

I think in Beverly we have a lot of thoughtful people that are willing to commit to open conversations, she said, and thats what Ive been most proud of over the last month or so.

Arianna MacNeill can be reached at 978-338-2527 or at amacneill@salemnews.com. Follow her on Twitter at @SN_AMacNeill.

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Beverly church to install 'Black Lives Matter' banner - The Salem News