How has your life been affected by racism?
What metaphor/simile can you create to describe the lingering , unacknowledged, yet ubiquitous presence of racism?
Where do you see signs of hope that racism can/will ever be overcome?
What scriptures inform our journey away from racism?
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Presbytery
Congregations
Daily lives
Why we do this work
First Presbyterian Church of Oakland
http://firstchurchoakland.org
In 2003 First Presbyterian Church of Oakland was a diverse congregation.
About 25% of the congregation was a combination of African-American, Asian (Chinese, Japanese, Philippine, Indian, Pacific Islander), Native American, and Middle Eastern and first generation African immigrants.
Of the 86 people who have joined the church since 2004, 60% have been people of color, which means that the congregation is becoming increasingly racially diverse.
It is difficult to attribute this to any force other than the Holy Spirit's gifts to us. How do we bless and nurture this gift? We know racism is still alive in each of us and in the society at large. It seemed important to address this issue of race straightforwardly. As a staff, we felt that it was important to be participants in the process, rather than leaders, as we were at the time all Caucasian. So we turned to the Building the Beloved Community Team of the Presbytery and asked them for their leadership.
Together we planned a four-week experience for members of our congregation and we had 50-60- participants in the series.
Grace and peace,
Chandler
Training Inglesia Presbiteriana de la Mission /San Francisco
"Let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away, and that in some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty" - Martin Luther King
Why we do this work in our
Presbytery
Congregations
Daily lives
Building the Beloved Community
In 1999, the 211th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) adopted a paper called "facing Racism: In Search of the Beloved Community." In doing so the Assembly also adopted a strategy to guide the church's antiracism work on all levels. That strategy is being implemented throughout the PC(USA).
As people of faith, our commitment to antiracism work begins with the affirmation that all people are made in the image of God. God calls us to be a prophetic voice, to evangelize, to speak the good news that we all are precious to God . God invites us to live together in all our God-given diversity, loving one another as God loves us.
Antiracism is not a topic for a one-time event; it is a calling to a lifelong stance of resistance. Antiracism is not done once and for all : it is a journey of growth and discovery that lasts a lifetime. Antiracism is not a simple task; it is the painful,hard work of confronting our prejudices and organizing to transform structures and institutions. In prayerful relationship with God, in dialogue with each other, we grow in our understanding of the evil of racism and how to resist it.
As people of faith, our commitment to antiracism work begins with the affirmation that all people are made in the image of God. God calls us to be a prophetic voice, to evangelize, to speak the good news that we all are precious to God . God invites us to live together in all our God-given diversity, loving one another as God loves us.
Antiracism is not a topic for a one-time event; it is a calling to a lifelong stance of resistance. Antiracism is not done once and for all : it is a journey of growth and discovery that lasts a lifetime. Antiracism is not a simple task; it is the painful,hard work of confronting our prejudices and organizing to transform structures and institutions. In prayerful relationship with God, in dialogue with each other, we grow in our understanding of the evil of racism and how to resist it.
Cultural Proficiency Advocacy Team CPAT/Cascades Presbytery
Sid Birt
Linda Blagburn-Shaw
Lori Welch
Ted Envela
Don Shaw
Linda Blagburn-Shaw
Lori Welch
Ted Envela
Don Shaw
The CPAT will demonstrate the need for awareness and appreciation of cultural differences, celebrating our oneness in Christ, by providing conversation, education and resources.
San Francisco Presbytery Team
Janice Kamikawa
Jimmye Jackson
Linda Blagburn-Shaw
Michael Miller
Sally Juarez
We are the people who claim to walk humbly with our God and therefore, we walk with and encourage all people to stand and walk with God.
Our work is designed to produce thought, not controversy; to fight ignorance, not people. This work feeds our spiritual journey and gives us a way to respond to the persistent evil that keeps us all from being who and what God intends.
We have a heart and hope that through the love, mercy, and grace of Jesus Christ bridges of communications, understanding, and appreciation may be built across racial and ethnic differences.
Beloved let us love one another,because love is from God;everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
1 John 4:7
Jimmye Jackson
Linda Blagburn-Shaw
Michael Miller
Sally Juarez
We are the people who claim to walk humbly with our God and therefore, we walk with and encourage all people to stand and walk with God.
Our work is designed to produce thought, not controversy; to fight ignorance, not people. This work feeds our spiritual journey and gives us a way to respond to the persistent evil that keeps us all from being who and what God intends.
We have a heart and hope that through the love, mercy, and grace of Jesus Christ bridges of communications, understanding, and appreciation may be built across racial and ethnic differences.
Beloved let us love one another,because love is from God;everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
1 John 4:7
Building the Beloved Community in Congregations
Why we do this work
First Presbyterian Church of Oakland
http://firstchurchoakland.org
In 2003 First Presbyterian Church of Oakland was a diverse congregation.
About 25% of the congregation was a combination of African-American, Asian (Chinese, Japanese, Philippine, Indian, Pacific Islander), Native American, and Middle Eastern and first generation African immigrants.
Of the 86 people who have joined the church since 2004, 60% have been people of color, which means that the congregation is becoming increasingly racially diverse.
It is difficult to attribute this to any force other than the Holy Spirit's gifts to us. How do we bless and nurture this gift? We know racism is still alive in each of us and in the society at large. It seemed important to address this issue of race straightforwardly. As a staff, we felt that it was important to be participants in the process, rather than leaders, as we were at the time all Caucasian. So we turned to the Building the Beloved Community Team of the Presbytery and asked them for their leadership.
Together we planned a four-week experience for members of our congregation and we had 50-60- participants in the series.
Grace and peace,
Chandler
Resources for Antiracism Ministry
PCUSA Resources
Training and Education
Workshop photo gallery
Training Inglesia Presbiteriana de la Mission /San Francisco
1 comment:
Growing up as a fair skinned mutant in Chinatown SF, racism was/is everyday in a west left coast holler defined trapped and festered by racism. It was/is unwelcome notice. It was/is the prickly awareness of unwanted conspicuousness. It was/is the simultaneous non-belonging and longing for anonymity . It was/is the lens that sees through the Emperor's new clothes and says nothing, because it is the fear that catches in the craw of an overexposed existence.
And it eats away like an unnoticed, drug resistant virus on a Church too self deified to see its own nakedness.
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