It has been inspiring to hear friends from a variety of spiritual backgrounds mention –in passing– ways their communities are working to “repair the past we step into,” as Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman put it in her inaugural poem, “The Hill We Climb.”
We know many of us have been discussing books, re-examining our histories and our present-day structures, supporting actions, and building bridges by engaging in conversations —and especially listening!— across divides. To encourage and strengthen our collective work for racial justice, we’re inviting you to share what your community or congregation has been doing. You can send us a single sentence or a full story, or ask to have us call you for the information. We will share your ideas with our readers, both as part of a list of what area groups are doing, and, from time to time, as a feature story.
Share your contribution(s) for racial justice
Mary Becker shares:
Members of the Immaculate Heart Community (owners of La Casa de Maria) are studying JustFaith Ministries’ “Faith and Racial Equity module 1 – Exploring Power and Privilege”. This is a small group learning process that includes an opening retreat and 8 weekly sessions. 22 members in 2 groups are participating in this study. We are fortunate to have 3 members who are People of Color in the study groups.
JustFaith Ministries has 2 further modules: Faith and Racial Healing and Faith and Racial Justice. Anyone interested in details can find them at justfaith.org.
Laurence Severance shares:
Following the death of George Floyd and resulting protests this past Summer, Trinity Lutheran Church of Santa Barbara undertook to better educate ourselves about racial justice and what white people of privilege can do to bring about change in ourselves and our communities.
Self-examination and study. We invited and encouraged our members to read So You Want to Talk About Race, by Ijeoma Oluo. Our Outreach team then hosted two on-line Zoom discussions of this book, coming to better understand systemic racism, white privilege, the importance of accepting as authentic people’s reported experiences, and how to be allies for racial justice. Some of our members have also examined our church institution. We have read and discussed Dear Church – A Love Letter from a Black Preacher to the Whitest Denomination in the U.S. by Rev. Lenny Duncan. Others are currently examining “Authentic Diversity” through discussions hosted by our larger church body to repair and build relationships with those “othered” through prior church practices, culture, or polity.
Deploying financial resources. Our church endowment fund recently created multi-year scholarships, offered through California Lutheran University, to assist up to four African-American students toward the costs of their education. We reach out to extend support and welcome to our Latinx neighbors through our members’ participation in the Interfaith Sanctuary Alliance, and by providing financial support to 805Undocufund to assist those ineligible for public assistance. We contribute to MLK, Jr. Comm. of SB.
Community action. Some of us directly participate in CLUE Workgroups as a means to help advance racial justice. Trinity Lutheran Church is a “Reconciling in Christ” congregation. We expressly welcome people who may have felt marginalized, including ethnic/racial minorities and our LGBTQ neighbors and community.