SLO Church Congregation Gather Together To Speak About Controversial Banner

Dozens of members from the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of San Luis Obispo gathered together on Sunday for the dedication of their “black lives matter” banner.

The banner is hung up and sits on the side of the church’s wall outside.

“Yes our banner is a public proclamation ,there is power in public proclamation,” says Gina Whitaker.

In the past several months, Reverend Rod Richards says the church has faced some opposition with the banner.

This is the third banner that has been hung up. The first two times it was hung the banner was once torn down and the second time taken.

Richards says the dedication today allows the church to gather together as a congregation and start a conversation about the topic.

“For a long time in this country when we said all lives we didn’t actually include everybody and some of the people left out of that idea of we the people were black people,” says Rev. Richards.

He says the banner is meant to not only show that black lives matter but, that all lives matter.

“There is a phrase within out congregation that calls us to figure out what is most compassionate at any given time and part of that also includes respectful conversation,” he says.

Members of the church says the real work begins not when you hang up a banner but, when you help spark a conversation about the topic.