Dear Church Family,
This is my second attempt to write something on racial justice. About 6 months ago Jilliann asked me to do this in response to a question I asked about a recurring item on the CC agenda-Racial Justice Group. This group was begun pre Covid and then continued to meet during Covid over Zoom. At that time the church was a part of the Thrive project fended by the Lilly Endowment but withdrew when Claire and Zach, our pastors at the time, left. The Thrive project is a five-year project to actively look at structures of racism in order to remove obstacles to congregational health (paraphrased from the Alliance website). The group has remained inactive since.
I have volunteered to help facilitate the group if there is any interest. This group would be led by the interests of the participants, but I would imagine a combination of book study, discussion groups, and videos that we can either watch together or separately and meet to discuss. I believe that we learn much from each other about what racial justice, and what it means to be antiracist.
I cannot do this alone as my work does not allow for a consistent schedule which I believe is important. If you are interested in either helping facilitate or participating in the group there will be a signup sheet outside of Pastor Jillian’s office. Below are some suggestions for reading; see what interests you.
Stamped From the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi
How to be Anti Racist by Kendi
White Too Long by Robert P. Jones
White Rage by Carol Anderson
The Cross and the Lynching Tree by James H. Cone
An Indigenous People’s History of the US by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
The Message by Coates
Tears We Cannot Stop by Michael Eric Dyson
Killing Rage by bell hooks
Jo Ann Alley
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