SEEING THE FACE OF GOD IN EACH OTHER
(Anti-Racism Training)
Ever since our recent Diocesan Convention, I keep an image of the icon commemorating the Baptisms of Manteo and Virginia Dare on my desk. It was a very meaningful and energizing moment at the opening Eucharist, when Bishop Daniel blessed this holy painting to be set aside “for the service of Christ’s holy Church.” I consider myself very fortunate, even blessed, to have the creator/artist of the icon among the people I’m privileged to serve as rector of St. Paul’s here in Greenville. I can’t begin to tell you how impressed and inspired I’ve been by the process it took to bring to birth such a deeply moving icon.
As Chair of the Anti-Racism Commission, I was approached by a number of folks at convention who candidly shared with me how they wished I could find another way than “anti” to name the work we need to do to eradicate racism. “Couldn’t we call it ‘Diversity Training’ or something with a more positive sounding name,” more than one person asked me? This concern was not a new one! Members of St. Paul’s expressed their dislike of the “anti” to me prior to the first anti-racism training we did in September 2006. I understand the concern but I also know that the specific task we face as a diocese is to be actively engaged in anti-racism work – and we need to name it for what it is.
But this is where the icon commemorating the Baptisms of Manteo and Virginia Dare comes into play, so much so that I’d like to make copies of the image available as part of our anti-racism trainings, because the formal title of our anti-racism workshop is called Seeing the Face of God in Each Other. Bishop Daniel’s description of the icon in his sermon at the opening Eucharist of the 125th Convention led him to make a connection between baptism and mission, “that in a world that seeks to separate and divide into like-minded and homogenous groups, the Church stands out as the drawing together of a broad concatenation of very different people of all races, ages, opinions, social status, educational level, gender, sexual orientation, and political persuasion.” Seeing the Face of God in Each Other is just such an opportunity to make a connection between our baptism and our call to mission. For at the heart of our anti-racism work is a positive vision of the unity that can be achieved through Christ as we face together such realities associated with discussions on racism, like prejudice, bigotry, stereotyping, discrimination and scapegoating, to name just a few of the many obstacles which prevent us from seeing the face of God in each other. This workshop, I might add, offers some ‘tools’ needed for the challenges we face in carrying out our mission as a diocese, as Bishop Daniel noted in his Address at the 125th Convention. I’d like to call attention specifically to where he talked about “the growing Hispanic population in Eastern North Carolina as the greatest missionary and evangelistic challenge of this generation” - and also to our mission as a province of the Anglican Communion “to undertake a process of listening to the experience of gay or lesbian Christians.”
Our anti-racism training certainly has the potential to be explicitly inclusive in opening the way toward greater awareness and diversity in how see the face of God in each other.
There are two one-day anti-racism workshops in the planning stage at the present time. One will be open to all in the diocese and that will be taking place on May 10, 2008, at St. Andrew’s Church, Morehead City. The second will be for the Ablemarle Deanery. (The date and place will be announced soon.) Information concerning registration for both these events will appear in the CrossCurrents Online right after an April 2 meeting of the Anti-Racism Commission. I would encourage the Deans of our diocese to speak with the members of their respective deaneries to consider some possible dates for trainings to take place in 2008-2009.
Like the process it took Cheryl Hendrick and those who participated with her in bringing to birth the icon ‘rooted in a remarkable moment in history,’ so too, is the process in which we presently find ourselves: a ‘birthing’ process – as people touched by God; as people enriched by cultures born into and discovered; as people wounded by racism; as people yearning for healing; as people working for the Kingdom.
Holy Spirit, bless our time together.
Peace,
Bob Hudak+
Chair, Anti-Racism Commission
Clergy Pastoral Training
Training for Pastoral Care for Clergy and Lay Professionals who work with gay and lesbian persons in a congregations setting.
Offered by the Diocese of Mississippi on June 1-2, 2008 at the Gray Center in Mississippi. The leader will be Dr. Philip Culbertson, recently retired professor of Pastoral Care at St. Luke's School of Theology, Sewanee, TN.
The cost of the conference is $95 and CEO credits will be given. Funds to assist interesd clergy may be available through the Clergy Continuing Education Committee, Diocese of East Carolina. Please contact Mary Ogus for more information about assistance at maryogus@intrstar.net.
For more information and registration forms, visit www.dioms.org/events.
Retreat for Gay and Lesbian Persons
August 22 - 24, 2008
Gray Camp and Conference Center
Diocese of Mississippi
Leader: The Rev. Brad Hinton, St. David's Church, Wilmington, DE
For more information and registration forms, visit www.dioms.org/events.
Sexual Ethics Training dates for September 2007 - June 2008 have been announced. Click here for that information!
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