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If people of every race and background will spend eternity in heaven, church members need to focus on diversity here on earth, says Frank Shelton of Accokeek. Shelton, co-pastor of the First Baptist Church of Accokeek, said the church is one of the first in the county to participate in No More Segregated Sunday, an effort designed to celebrate and promote racial unity in the religious community.

"No matter what race we are, we must remember that we all bleed red, and we have more in common than we think," said Shelton, who co-pastors his church with J.D. Walker, an African-American minister. "I have always promoted unity and community, but the churches sometimes don't get it."

Shelton, an evangelist who travels nationally and internationally to preach the gospel, says most churches lack diversity due to cultural habits and traditions.

"It's wonderful when we can come together because diversity is a strength, not a weakness," said Shelton, who has served at his church for about a year. "Plus, we can all learn something from each other's worship styles."

Angela Dion, author of the book "Let's Talk About Race," recently launched the No More Segregated Sunday initiative, a workshop series. She published her book in 2009 after reading "Letters Across the Divide," a book about racial issues and inviting friends to participate in a discussion group.

She said it was at these discussions that she learned that even in the past year, there were still fears, prejudices and misconceptions.

"What Martin Luther King Jr. said so many years ago is true today: Sunday is still the most segregated day of the week," said Dion, who lives in Waldorf.

Statistics show that most churches are racially segregated, she said.

As part of the No More Segregated Sunday program, Dion leads workshops and one-day forums to encourage churches to create diverse congregations.

She is starting with churches in the region but hopes to take them across the nation. Dion, who is black, and her husband, Marc, who is white, have particular insight on the issue.

"Things were difficult with my mother-in-law during our first years of marriage," said Dion, who has been married nearly 22 years.

Her husband's family is Canadian, she said, and her mother-in-law initially saw her as "colored." The couple's son, Marcel, who is now 19, helped the family cross the racial divide, Dion said.

"My mother-in-law and my son have a great relationship," she said.

Churchgoers who want to avoid the thorny issue of race by worshipping in a segregated environment don't realize the message they're sending to the world, Dion said.

"If we claim to be Christians, and we can't even get together for an hour or two, why would anyone want what we have?"

Shelton, who has invited Dion to speak in his church this summer, says pastors must take purposeful action to promote diversity. Those steps include praying about the issue and inviting all types of musical artists and speakers to their churches. Leaders also can quietly identify the gifts and talents of diverse members of their congregations and raise up new leaders from within.

"You go for the very best but you have to be intentional to celebrate diversity," Shelton said. "I want our church to look like the world."

Angela Dion

How she makes a difference: Dion has launched the No More Segregated Sunday initiative to encourage churches to celebrate and promote racial diversity within their congregations. Contact her at 301-645-9427 or www.letstalkaboutrace.net.