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FAITH COMMUNITY CHALLENGE

A Solution to Hate and Division

Faith Community Challenge by L.O.V.E. Is The Answer

During a difficult time of rising anti-Semitism, a continuing epidemic of racism towards Black and brown people, and acts of hate against towards many marginalized groups such as the LGBTQIA+ community, L.O.V.E. Is The Answer invites you and your faith group to participate in a unique, meaningful, timely and fun nationwide program called the Faith Community Challenge. The program is designed to break down the walls that divide communities and build a beautiful mosaic of relationships that can heal communities by teaching people one of the most basic principles of any faith — how to love your neighbor. 

This program was sparked by the faith-based, multiple award-winning documentary film, WALKING WHILE BLACK: L.O.V.E. Is The Answer and the L.O.V.E. Is The Answer book and movement it birthed. The film features interviews with peace officers, faith leaders, educators, activists and others. Through the example of the reconciliation of peace officers and minority communities, the film offers an inspiring blueprint to bridge the greater racial and cultural divide and heal our communities

The “L.O.V.E.” we’re talking about in L.O.V.E. Is The Answer is an acronym for putting love into action — LEARN about people, OPEN your heart to their needs, VOLUNTEER to be part of the solution in their lives, and EMPOWER others to do the same. No matter what our faith persuasion is, learning how to love is at the center of how people and communities heal!

The Faith Community Challenge runs continually. You can start the Challenge anytime. No matter when you start, we ask that your faith organization participates in L.O.V.E. Is The Answer Day on September 17th — a global celebration of putting L.O.V.E. into action (https://trylovenow.com/l-o-v-e-istheanswerday/). On that day, we are asking the participating ministries to celebrate and showcase the work they have done together with their partner ministries. This is the perfect day to start or complete a mural, unveil giant letters spelling out “L.O.V.E.” that visitors can stand in front of and take selfies, post an original song (a community anthem) on social media, host a garden harvest party, do a community cleanup together, or any other creative expression of the partnership between two ministries and their surrounding community.

L.O.V..E. IS The Answer Day

Here's How the Challenge Works

Program Commitment

PARTNER WITH ANOTHER MINISTRY. Your ministry partners with another ministry that doesn't look like yours (white and Black, Black and Asian, Asian and Latino, a white church and a mosque, a Black church and a synagogue, a group that identifies as “straight” and a group that identifies as LGBTQIA+, etc.).
WATCH THE FILM. The two partner ministries watch the film together and discuss it. We require at least two screenings — one at each ministry, with members of both ministries participating in each screening. We’ll give you a discussion guide and all the tools you’ll need to hold successful screening events.
READ THE BOOK. The partner ministries read the book together and discuss it (book club!). We recommend small groups of no more than 10 people in each group, and with each small group made up of an equal number of members of each ministry. We will supply you with a book discussion guide.
DO THE WORK. The two ministries "do the work" together as described in Part 2 of the book (paint a mural, do a community clean up, build a L.O.V.E. Garden, etc.) and showcase and celebrate that work together on L.O.V.E. Is The Answer Day 9/17.

Financial Commitment

Each of the two partner ministries are required to purchase a lifetime license to the film WALKING WHILE BLACK: L.O.V.E. Is The Answer. Each ministry will receive the license at half-price — $647.50 instead of the normal price of $1,295. This license gives each ministry the right to show the film as many times as they like at one designated location for life.
Each of the two ministries must purchase a minimum of 10 L.O.V.E. Is The Answer books. Books cost $30 each and can be ordered at https://trylovenow.com/read-the-book/. Please order all of your books at once (you can place more than one order if you get additional people to participate) and have them sent to the same address, and make sure to mention when you order that they are for the Faith Community Challenge. Individual participants can pay your ministry in advance for the books or reimburse you. Alternatively, individuals may also order books on their own using the link above. When individuals order, it’s important for them to let us know what ministry they are part of and that they are participating in the Faith Community Challenge.

The minimum financial commitment for each ministry is $947.50, which includes the half-price film licensing and 10 books.

Interested? Fill out this contact form and we’ll email you the half-price film licensing agreement and onboarding kit and schedule a call or Zoom to answer any questions you may have and to help you get started.