Cache Valley's Black Churches Welcome Newcomers Like Family
The vibrant and welcoming black churches of Utah's Cache Valley are celebrated for their close ties, strength and openness, and the warm welcomes they extend to area newcomers as well as locals new to their congregations. The term "black church" is used to denote a style of worship more than a specific denomination. Whether Baptist, Methodist, Church of God in Christ or nondenominational Christian, thousands of worshippers take part in services in black churches across the Cache Valley each Sunday. Music and singing are predominant throughout the service, as sermons are punctuated with exuberant call-and-response interactions. Rooted in African and American traditions, these area churches welcome people of all races and backgrounds, striving to make all who attend equal and full participants.
The 35,000 African American residents of Utah represent less than 1 percent of the state's population, but the ranks of the state's black churches continues to grow thanks in part to the attendance by newcomers to Utah. Those who have relocated to the area remark that they have been welcomed like family.
For more information, read this full profile in the Salt Lake City Tribune.
