New in The DVD Library
Two documentaries that aim to shed light on prejudice and race relations have been added to The DVD Library at the United Methodist Ministry Center in Oklahoma City.
The documentaries, "The Last White Knight: Is Reconciliation Possible?" and "Prom Night in Mississippi," were produced by filmmaker Paul Saltzman, who spoke in Oklahoma at a seminar about prejudice. He was hosted by the Conference’s Commission on Race & Religion (CORR) for an October program at Oklahoma City University.
Both films, shown during the program, "evoke feeling and provoke discussion," Saltzman said at the CORR workshop. "We want to create safe space to have difficult conversation."
Saltzman is founder of the nonprofit Moving Beyond Prejudice organization, which has made presentations to over 40,000 young people, at-risk youths, and community members.
• "The Last White Knight," released in 2012, tells of Saltzman’s own violent confrontation in 1965 with white supremacists, including Byron de la Beckwith Jr., a longtime member of the Mississippi Ku Klux Klan.
At the time, Saltzman was a civil rights worker. The confrontation, which culminated in Beckwith punching Saltzman in the head, was triggered by Saltzman’s voter registration work in Mississippi.
Four decades later, Saltzman called Beckwith, and the two agreed to meet. Saltzman filmed their meetings over five years and then created the documentary. The meetings led to a sense of reconciliation between the men. Beckwith remained a member of the KKK.
• "Prom Night" (2009) tells the story of the 2008 senior prom at Charleston High School in Mississippi. Until then, segregated proms had been held, although classrooms had been integrated for decades.
Actor Morgan Freeman offered to pay for the prom, under the condition that it be racially integrated. The video comes with an educators’ companion guide for discussion of social justice and anti-bullying.
DVDs encourage generosity in giving
Two video kits to help achieve a church’s stewardship potential also have been added to The DVD Library. They are:
• "Extravagant Generosity: The Heart of Giving," built on Robert Schnase’s book "Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations." The video connects the spiritual role of generosity to daily financial discipleship. It includes four video meditations, four 60-second worship clips, and an introductory video. There is also a guidebook for small-group leaders.
• "Committed to Christ: Six Steps to a Generous Life," by Bob Crossman, director of the New Church Leadership Institute for the Arkansas Conference. This kit includes six gathering-time loops and six 45-second sermon lead-ins. There is also a printed guide for small-group leaders.
These resources and more are available for free rental from The DVD Library in the Department of Communications, United Methodist Ministry Center, 1501 N.W. 24th St., Oklahoma City.
Contact Chris Schutz at 405-530-2075 or cschutz@okumc.org.
View the library’s full resource list at www.okumc.org/dvd_library.