Justice Stories: Work of the Church

Anti-Racism training using “seeing the Face of God in each other” Jonathan Daniels pilgrimage annually in August

Weekly book study between Grace Church Cathedral and Mt. Zion AME Church (as well as representatives of other churches). Books related to racism, and racial healing are read and discussed in small groups.

There is no real program. We are having conversations around topics and issues that arise in culture and society. Example “Traces of the Trade” film and discussion.

Educational opportunities like visits to Whitney Plantation with spiritual reflection afterwards.

We’re also currently trying to pilot our Prophetic Storytelling Project consisting of sharing stories while sharing a meal, centering on the charge of the church to follow Jesus’ lead. To follow Jesus as a storyteller.

Chattahoochee Valley Episcopal Ministry (CVEM) piloted the diocesan youth curriculum for Dismantling Racism with seven area youth on retreat at Koinonia Farm the first weekend of May 2018. The participants were so energized by the experience they want to keep going! They want to be leaders in their schools, churches, and communities in building awareness and education around systemic racism, white privilege, and racial trust-building.

CVEM is committed to supporting the teens’ efforts and is adapting its teen servant leadership program Infusion to facilitate the on-going education and engagement of our youth.

Grace Community Support on Wednesdays 6-7 p.m. No cost, donation’s always welcome.  Supported and put on by church volunteers. Open to the entire community.

Recently formed a 25 member Racial Reconciliation Commission.

Conducted the first Racial Reconciliation Workshop within the diocese in 12-15 years.

In June 2020, Chattahoochee Valley Episcopal Ministry started the Striving for Justice Film Series, inviting anyone wishing to participate to watch a selected film each month and then gather online @ 5 p.m. on the fourth Sunday of the month for discussion about the film. To date, more than 50 participants from six states (and D.C.) have joined the conversations. For a schedule of films and registration link, go to www.cvemjubilee.org/racial-justice.

​Racism Book Group

Criminal Justice Conference

Support on Illumination Projects

Our work related to racial reconciliation began a few years ago when we considered Jesus’ command to “love your neighbor as yourself.” As a parish, we asked “Who are our neighbors?” We are on the same city block as the county jail, courthouse, and the police department and many law offices surround us. Our neighbor is the criminal justice system. We explored ways to be good neighbors and quickly learned of the racial inequalities that plague our system of justice. As our Presiding Bishop and Diocesan Bishop have both urged congregations to engage in the work of Becoming the Beloved Community, we have come to see this work as part of the work that the Spirit has given us to do.

Mission Endowment Grant: St. Luke’s was awarded a grant from the Diocese of North Carolina to support the work of Becoming the Beloved Community. This is an initiative of The Episcopal Church to pursue and promote racial reconciliation. This grant will provide for work related to Becoming the Beloved Community in a city with a history of racial tensions. The grant has three components:

1. Truth-telling related to the histories of St. Luke’s and the closed historically African-American congregation of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church. We have contracted with a local historian to research the role of race and slavery in our parish’s history.
2. A video documentary series in partnership with members of a partner AME-Zion congregation to capture stories by those who grew up in the Jim Crow era in Salisbury.
3. A weekend workshop for the community headlined by Bishop Will Willimon and Dr. Catherine Meeks of the Absalom Jones Center.