*Originally published at wdef.com

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Pastors from across Tennessee gathered Tuesday night at Brainerd Baptist Church for a roundtable discussion.

The meeting was just one stop in a statewide tour of churches across Tennessee’s major cities, part of an effort by the Governor’s Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives to tackle issues of racial injustice in the faith community.

Unite Program Director from Bethel World Baptist Church, Aaron McGee, says that he was impressed with Chattanooga church leaders’ work so far.

“The unique part about our visit to Chattanooga and convening leaders and having conversations on racial reconciliation is that they have been doing this work for – my understanding the past two years or so. So, we hope that their responses will serve as a case study of sorts,” says Aaron McGee.

McGee is referencing the work that Chattanooga pastors have been doing with the Kingdom Partners for the past two years.

Oliver Richmond, President of Kingdom Partners, says the group has focused on uniting people.

“Overall, Kingdom Partners seeks to seek the peace of the city to get our leaders and people to work together that normally wouldn’t come together. And we work to build capacity of others through joint initiatives, but that biggest piece is loving our neighbor that don’t look like you, come together to solve issues,” says Oliver Richmond.

The event on Tuesday was hosted at the Brainerd BX building, as part of a statewide initiative to mobilize local faith leaders to discuss issues of racial injustice. For Chattanooga area pastors, the event is planned to be the first of many.