September 2018 Connections

Connections ideas • news • events September 2018

Issue 5 Vol. 5

“You’re looking at a path for how we, as the Episcopal branch of the Jesus Movement, can more fully and prayerfully embody the loving, liberating, lifegiving way of Jesus in our relationships with each other. Look at the scriptures, at Christian history. There is no doubt that Beloved Community, healing, justice and reconciliation are at the heart of Jesus’ movement in this world.”

– Presiding Bishop Michael Curry

An attitude, a perspective and

A COMMITMENT

This edition of Connections is devoted to Becoming Beloved Community, a church-wide focus called for by our Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry. ‘Beloved community’ is a term that took on great meaning for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as he increasingly emphasized the civil rights movement’s essential relationship to workers’ rights, the peace movement and addressing poverty worldwide.

At the risk of over-simplifying a rich and elastic concept, I would suggest that beloved community combines Jesus’ notion of the kingdom of God with what should be striven for and accomplished here and now. Thus it names an attitude, a perspective and a commitment that is alive to every opportunity for connection across racial, economic, cultural and political divides. If Dr. King had lived longer he would no doubt have added gender and sexual orientation to this list.

Beloved community is not about political correctness. It is about regrounding conservative and liberal thought in genuine respect for all people and recovering passion for a social order that brings such respect to bear.

Certainly, this entails uncompromising resistance to any form of racism and abuse. But it also requires us to listen charitably and open-mindedly to decent people with whom we may deeply disagree. To begin with we do this to honor one another. But ultimately we do this so that we can come to love one another.

This is the agenda informing Michael Curry’s request that The Episcopal Church devote itself to becoming

beloved community. We must continue to acknowledge and address the sin and consequences of racism. Yet, as he has stressed repeatedly, we must also move beyond self-knowledge, confession and reform to racial reconciliation. And it can’t stop there.

Reconciliation with one another must go hand in hand with the redress of our abuse of planet earth, and with our ability to demonstrate how the practice of reconciliation is grounded in the teachings of Jesus. So the Presiding Bishop’s call is threefold: racial reconciliation, creation care and evangelism.

This three-dimensional focus was a major theme of our church’s General Convention in July, and we will be building on that in Southern Ohio as we move forward.

On a slightly personal note, I want to share with you that the Theology Committee of the House of Bishops is also concentrating its energies on Beloved Community. I am privileged and delighted to chair that committee, comprising eight bishops and seven academic theologians. Our charter is to be a theological resource to the House of Bishops, as it seeks to fulfill the teaching office of the episcopate and promote informed theological reflection throughout our church. This is a dynamic and creative group. Please keep our work in your prayers.

The Rt. Rev. Thomas E. Breidenthal serves as Bishop of the Diocese of Southern Ohio. Connect with him at tbreidenthal@diosohio.org.

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Becoming Beloved Community Task Force develops vision and call

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The Episcopal Church’s Becoming Beloved Community vision frames a path for Episcopalians to address racial injustice and grow as a community of reconcilers, justicemakers and healers who share a passion for living into their calling from God. This work is not only foundational to our baptismal covenant, but evidence of this call exists throughout the Bible. Consider Romans 12: Becoming Beloved 2: “And be not conformed to Community Task this world: but be ye transForce members: formed by the renewing The Rev. Meribah Mansfield, of your mind, that ye may co-convener prove what is that good, and Cherie Bridges Patrick, acceptable, and perfect, will co-convener of God.” Dianne Ebbs The post-General The Rev. Maggie Foster Convention inaugural The Rev. Canon Jane Gerdsen meeting of the Diocese The Rev. Rick Incorvati The Rev. Joanne Leiserson of Southern Becoming Marty Lentz Beloved Community Task Miriam McKenney Force opened August 4 Ariel Miller with an opportunity for The Rev. John Paddock The Rev. Canon Lee Anne Reat all in attendance to share their visions of our jourNadya Richardson ney toward Becoming Debby Stokes Beloved Community.

Members responded to a guiding question presented by the Rev. Canon Jane Gerdsen, Missioner for Fresh Expressions and Praxis Communities. Taking Jesus’ mandate and TEC’s vision into account, participants were asked: “What kind of Becoming Beloved Community are you hoping to create?

Individual responses to the question were documented and compiled to develop the task force’s vision and call: Becoming Beloved Community requires that we heal

An invitation to

Becoming Beloved Community the wounds by cleaning them…this means telling the truth – the truth of the history of our churches, communities and institutional racism, and by doing the work of truth and reconciliation. Becoming Beloved Communities are places of practice based in love and expressed through the cycle of listeninglearning-practicing-growing. Becoming Beloved Community is nana’s house – a place where there are no mirrors that remind us where we have been assigned and a place where we can be authentic, where we belong and are loved.

Becoming Beloved Community is a place where we are challenged to live into God’s image and we do this with God’s help. As we work to make the familiar strange, know that *circumstances may call on you to risk standing alone, risk even perhaps your career, religion, relationships, or stature. But when circumstances call on one to risk career, religion, relationships, stature, or life in favor of Christian principles, you and this country will be better for it. You can go elsewhere for a job, relationship, or stature, but you cannot go elsewhere for a soul. (*Adapted from Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake’s 2018 Harvard Law School Commencement address)

Transformation Having been involved with Ohio Interfaith Power & Light for over 10 years, my desire to care for creation has brought me to the journey of Becoming Beloved Community. As I have become aware of the intersection of racial justice and eco-justice, I have come to understand that the more that we care for each other, the more we care for creation, and vice versa.

I more fully appreciate the beauty of creation when I see the beauty in myself and in all of God’s children, including all gender identities, colors, races, sexual orientation and classes. James Cone said in his article, “Whose Earth is it Anyway?”: “The fight for justice cannot be segregated but must be integrated with the fight for life in all its forms.”

I am learning about racial healing, reconciliation and justice by reading books and articles, taking courses and seminars, watching films and attending programs. I practice what I’ve learned in community, intentionally putting myself into racially balanced groups where we explore deep issues. There I learn the hard way how much language matters, how imbedded my white privilege and biases really are, and how far I have to grow. I’ve made some marvelous new friends with whom to discover the truth.

My heart is being transformed through spiritual growth on this journey. I am using the practices in The Episcopal Church’s The Way of Love: Practices for A Jesus-Centered Life to experiment with spiritual prac-

Becoming

Beloved

Community

Cherie Bridges Patrick serves as Co-Convener of the Becoming Beloved Community Task Force and is a member of St. Matthew’s, Westerville. Connect with Cherie at cheriebp@gmail.com.

Task Force members are available to help individuals and congregations develop their ideas about how to implement Becoming Beloved Community in their churches and communities. Contact one of the co-conveners for more information: Cherie Bridges Patrick, St. Matthew’s, Westerville (cheriebp@gmail.com) or the Rev. Meribah Mansfield (meribahmansfield@gmail.com).

tices and to revise my Rule of Life.

This has brought me to deeper understanding of the cyclical process of transformation that comes from continually striving for right relationship with self, with God, and with our neighbors and the earth. I’ve illustrated this with a simple nested meditation: Becoming Becoming Beloved Becoming Beloved Community

Becoming = moving toward being and loving the authentic self that God created each of us to be Becoming Beloved = nurturing a loving relationship with God, fully loving God and feeling fully loved by God Becoming Beloved Community = growing together as people who love God and love the image of God that we find in our neighbors, in ourselves, and in creation Our spiritual growth comes from moving back and forth between all three spheres, which we explore through both learning and practice. Transformation comes when we open our hearts and practice The Way of Love as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Please join Cherie, the members of our task force and me in the journey of Becoming Beloved Community!

The Rev. Meribah Mansfield serves as Co-Convener of the Becoming Beloved Community Task Force. Connect with Meribah at meribahmansfield@gmail.com.

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Becoming Beloved Community Task Force develops vision and call

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The Episcopal Church’s Becoming Beloved Community vision frames a path for Episcopalians to address racial injustice and grow as a community of reconcilers, justicemakers and healers who share a passion for living into their calling from God. This work is not only foundational to our baptismal covenant, but evidence of this call exists throughout the Bible. Consider Romans 12: Becoming Beloved 2: “And be not conformed to Community Task this world: but be ye transForce members: formed by the renewing The Rev. Meribah Mansfield, of your mind, that ye may co-convener prove what is that good, and Cherie Bridges Patrick, acceptable, and perfect, will co-convener of God.” Dianne Ebbs The post-General The Rev. Maggie Foster Convention inaugural The Rev. Canon Jane Gerdsen meeting of the Diocese The Rev. Rick Incorvati The Rev. Joanne Leiserson of Southern Becoming Marty Lentz Beloved Community Task Miriam McKenney Force opened August 4 Ariel Miller with an opportunity for The Rev. John Paddock The Rev. Canon Lee Anne Reat all in attendance to share their visions of our jourNadya Richardson ney toward Becoming Debby Stokes Beloved Community.

Members responded to a guiding question presented by the Rev. Canon Jane Gerdsen, Missioner for Fresh Expressions and Praxis Communities. Taking Jesus’ mandate and TEC’s vision into account, participants were asked: “What kind of Becoming Beloved Community are you hoping to create?

Individual responses to the question were documented and compiled to develop the task force’s vision and call: Becoming Beloved Community requires that we heal

An invitation to

Becoming Beloved Community the wounds by cleaning them…this means telling the truth – the truth of the history of our churches, communities and institutional racism, and by doing the work of truth and reconciliation. Becoming Beloved Communities are places of practice based in love and expressed through the cycle of listeninglearning-practicing-growing. Becoming Beloved Community is nana’s house – a place where there are no mirrors that remind us where we have been assigned and a place where we can be authentic, where we belong and are loved.

Becoming Beloved Community is a place where we are challenged to live into God’s image and we do this with God’s help. As we work to make the familiar strange, know that *circumstances may call on you to risk standing alone, risk even perhaps your career, religion, relationships, or stature. But when circumstances call on one to risk career, religion, relationships, stature, or life in favor of Christian principles, you and this country will be better for it. You can go elsewhere for a job, relationship, or stature, but you cannot go elsewhere for a soul. (*Adapted from Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake’s 2018 Harvard Law School Commencement address)

Transformation Having been involved with Ohio Interfaith Power & Light for over 10 years, my desire to care for creation has brought me to the journey of Becoming Beloved Community. As I have become aware of the intersection of racial justice and eco-justice, I have come to understand that the more that we care for each other, the more we care for creation, and vice versa.

I more fully appreciate the beauty of creation when I see the beauty in myself and in all of God’s children, including all gender identities, colors, races, sexual orientation and classes. James Cone said in his article, “Whose Earth is it Anyway?”: “The fight for justice cannot be segregated but must be integrated with the fight for life in all its forms.”

I am learning about racial healing, reconciliation and justice by reading books and articles, taking courses and seminars, watching films and attending programs. I practice what I’ve learned in community, intentionally putting myself into racially balanced groups where we explore deep issues. There I learn the hard way how much language matters, how imbedded my white privilege and biases really are, and how far I have to grow. I’ve made some marvelous new friends with whom to discover the truth.

My heart is being transformed through spiritual growth on this journey. I am using the practices in The Episcopal Church’s The Way of Love: Practices for A Jesus-Centered Life to experiment with spiritual prac-

Becoming

Beloved

Community

Cherie Bridges Patrick serves as Co-Convener of the Becoming Beloved Community Task Force and is a member of St. Matthew’s, Westerville. Connect with Cherie at cheriebp@gmail.com.

Task Force members are available to help individuals and congregations develop their ideas about how to implement Becoming Beloved Community in their churches and communities. Contact one of the co-conveners for more information: Cherie Bridges Patrick, St. Matthew’s, Westerville (cheriebp@gmail.com) or the Rev. Meribah Mansfield (meribahmansfield@gmail.com).

tices and to revise my Rule of Life.

This has brought me to deeper understanding of the cyclical process of transformation that comes from continually striving for right relationship with self, with God, and with our neighbors and the earth. I’ve illustrated this with a simple nested meditation: Becoming Becoming Beloved Becoming Beloved Community

Becoming = moving toward being and loving the authentic self that God created each of us to be Becoming Beloved = nurturing a loving relationship with God, fully loving God and feeling fully loved by God Becoming Beloved Community = growing together as people who love God and love the image of God that we find in our neighbors, in ourselves, and in creation Our spiritual growth comes from moving back and forth between all three spheres, which we explore through both learning and practice. Transformation comes when we open our hearts and practice The Way of Love as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Please join Cherie, the members of our task force and me in the journey of Becoming Beloved Community!

The Rev. Meribah Mansfield serves as Co-Convener of the Becoming Beloved Community Task Force. Connect with Meribah at meribahmansfield@gmail.com.

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loving, liberating, life-giving relationship with God (evangelism), with each other (reconciliation), and with creation (environmental stewardship).  Called forth by General Convention Resolution C019 (Establish Response to Systemic Injustice)  Crafted byBELOVED the leaders of the House of Bishops and House of Deputies – Presiding Bishop Michael BECOMING COMMUNITY: THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH’S LONG-TERM Curry, House of Deputies President Gay Clark Jennings, House of Bishops Vice President Mary GrayCOMMITMENT TOVice RACIAL RECONCILIATION AND JUSTICE Reeves and (now former President)HEALING, Dean Wolfe, and House of Deputies Vice President Byron Rushing and Secretary Michael Barlowe – with staff and many partners Presiding Bishop Michael Curry has lifted up the “Jesus Movement” as a path forward for the Episcopal Church. We are called to “become  Frames a multi-year journeylove as of part of awhose long-term, multi-generation commitment instruments of the healing and reconciling Jesus, loving, liberating, and life-giving way we follow.” As we live into this call, the Episcopal Southern has adopted the white, "Becoming Beloved Community" initiative.

We are committing  Church, Movesincluding beyondthe theDiocese UnitedofStates andOhio, beyond black and to consider racism in many nations, ourselves to among journey toward becoming beloved community as followers of Jesus over the course of the next year and beyond. many races, ethnicities and cultures Beloved Community is the practical image of the world we pray for when we say, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on  Deploys $2 million allocated by General Convention, along with other resources earth as it is in heaven.” We are dreaming of communities where all people may experience dignity and abundant life, and see  Designed andWeamplify local, diocesan,that provincial efforts of every person themselves and otherstoassupport, beloved complement, children of God. pray for communities labor soand thatnetwork the flourishing

(and all creation) is seen as the hope of each. Conceived this way, Beloved Community provides a deeply faithful paradigm for transformation, formation, Commitment organizing, advocacy, and witness.

The Long-term In this way, the Episcopal Church’s Becoming Beloved Community initiative represents not so much a set of programs as a Becoming Beloved Community represents not so much a set of programs as a journey, a set of interrelated journey, a set of interrelated commitments around which we as Episcopalians may organize our many efforts to respond to racial commitments around which Episcopalians may organize manyItefforts respond to racialainjustice and injustice and grow a community of reconcilers, justice-makers, andour healers. may betohelpful to imagine labyrinth.

On the grow a community of reconcilers, justice-makers, and healers.

The labyrinth may be an even more useful road to reconciliation and healing we move around corners and double back into quadrants we have indeed visited before, each 1 On the road image for aengaging the vision. towardEpiscopal reconciliation and healing,towe move around time discovering fresh revelation or challenge.

The whole Church is invited participate in thecorners Becoming Beloved Community journey.

Thisinto work includes we thehave four-fold path of Telling Truth, Proclaiming Dream, and Repairing the Breach, and double back quadrants visited before, eachthe time discovering new the revelation challenge. and Practicing the Way of Love. Beloved Community is created as disciples of Jesus practice the way of love together.

Telling the Truth Who are we? What things have we done and left undone regarding racial justice and healing?

Proclaiming the Dream How can we publicly acknowledge things done and left undone? What does Beloved Community look like in this place? What behaviors and commitments will foster reconciliation, justice, and healing?

Repairing the Breach What institutions and systems are broken?

How will we participate in repair, restoration, and healing of people, institutions, and systems?

Practicing the Way of Love How will we grow as reconcilers, healers, and justice-bearers? How will we actively grow relationship across dividing walls and seek Christ in the other?

The Episcopal Church is committed to growing circles of engagement, partnership and prayer across and beyond the Church, understanding that we aresingle participating a multistage justice and General Convention There is no path forinevery personjourney or eventoward every transformation, Episcopalian. People will healing. draw onWhile different called for a vision and a church-wide initiative, it never said that vision would be the only one, nor did it say all thehope work of racial resources and experiences and come to diverse answers to similar questions. At the same time, we reconciliation, justice and healing should be organized at the church-wide level. We seek to draw Episcopalians and neighbors across you find it energizing to take up this common spiritual practice of walking and reflection. Transformation many lands, languages and cultures to share stories, practices and transformative action. Together, we can share the journey and run deeper and broader welove pool wisdom resources asand the life-giving Episcopalway branch of the becomemay instruments of the healing andif/when reconciling of our Jesus, whose and loving, liberating we follow.

Jesus Movement.

More resources including seasonal study guides, and resources for individuals and congregations are available on The Episcopal Church website here: https://www.episcopalchurch.org/beloved-community

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The Rev. Canon Jane Gersen serves as Missioner for Fresh Expressions and Praxis Communities in the Diocese of

Southern Ohio. Connect with Jane at jgerdsen@diosohio.org.

We borrow the labyrinth image gratefully from Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the Rev. Mpho Tutu’s work in The Book of Forgiving, although we have surrounded this labyrinth with The Episcopal Church’s long-term commitments.

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GIVING THANKS

A new opportunity to create Beloved Community Centers The United Thank Offering (UTO) of The Episcopal Church laypeople and clergy then planned the training and programming in July announced 34 recipients of grants to further the misthat will be needed to develop the Centers in neighborhoods, and sion and ministry of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican sought and received financial support for the initiative.

Communion. The focus of the 2018 granting process was Alongside the Becoming Beloved Community Task Force, “Becoming Beloved Community: Racial Healing, Reconciliation the BBC Coordinator will support the development of the and Justice.”

Centers, ensuring at least one Center in each major region The Diocese of Southern Ohio received a $31,200 grant to of the diocese. Your ideas and help to discover the “sparks of fund a Becoming Beloved Community (BBC) Coordinator who, light” where beloved community is already forming are encourtogether with church and community members, will develop aged. A granting initiative will be available for those who are up to 10 pilot Beloved Community Centers in neighborhoods developing beloved community programming or projects in throughout the diocese. their local context. A few examples might be partnerships to These communities of practice will receive training and will work towards racial healing in our schools, farming initiaengage in missional community projects, and hopefully become tives with refugee neighbors, or shared meal and conversation teaching centers for congregations and faith communities across groups across racial or cultural communities. Task Force coSouthern Ohio. The UTO grant will fund the position of a diocconveners, the Rev. Meribah Mansfield (meribahmansfield@ esan BBC Coordinator to build capacity for this work from gmail.com) and Cherie Bridges-Patrick (cheriebp@gmail.com), from September 2018 to August 2019. During this same period, and the Rev. Canon Jane Gerdsen (jgerdsen@diosohio.org) are Becoming Beloved Community will be our diocesan-wide learnavailable for conversation or consultation for more information ing theme, challenging us to explore how we might work towards about the forthcoming grant application. beloved community in our own neighborhoods and contexts.

The goal of working to become beloved community is to It takes both individual transformation and practice in commu- change hearts and to transform how we feel about and interact nity in order to live into racial healing, reconciliation and justice. with our neighbors (especially those who are different from The BBC Coordinator will provide support for the Centers by us) and with this fragile earth, our island home. This grant to helping us to follow these four paths as we build beloved commufund the BBC Coordinator will provide seeds that will yield nity: telling the truth, proclaiming the dream, practicing the way fruit for years to come. The methods, practices, programs, pilof love and working to repair the breach. A variety of workshops grimages and activities that the BBC Coordinator will develop and training opportunities will be offered, along with tools for will be able to be adapted in additional Centers in coming study and learning and conversation circles and diocesan-wide years and the Centers will share their experience, knowledge gatherings. Funding is available for missional projects focused on and resources throughout the diocese and the wider church via racial and environmental justice. our website, DSOBeloved.org.

This new initiative has developed Our diocese has made a commitment to follow over time through many discusJesus into the neighborhood, seeksions and with the partnership ing to live out our Baptismal vows of several diocesan groups. The in sharing the good news, serving UNITED THATNK OFF idea for the Centers crystallized Christ in all people, and working ER IN O T E G C in February 2018, after the newly for justice and peace. We believe Awards this 2018 Gran t to appointed Becoming Beloved that the work of Becoming Beloved The Diocese of Souther n Ohio Beloved Community Community Task Force met with Community can help us more fully Centers-- Communities of Practice Dr. Catherine Meeks, chair of the live into our call to walk in the way Beloved Community Commission of Jesus and build the kingdom of for Dismantling Racism in the God. We hope you will join us in Diocese of Atlanta, and after antiworking toward Becoming Beloved racism training involving commuCommunity in Southern Ohio. nity members was done. A group of HE

F

Sandra Squires, Presid ent Kathy Mank, Financ ial Secretary Joyce Douglas, Provin ce III Elizabeth Campbell, Province VI Reina Lopez, Provin ce IX

HE

PISCOPAL

The United Thank

HURCH

Offering Board

Marcie Cherau, Vice President Sherri Dietrich, Provin ce I Joyce Landers, Provin ce IV Valinda Jackson, Provin ce VII Sarah Carver, Appoi nted

Birdie Blake-Reid, Secretary Vernese Smith, Provin ce II Peg Cooper, Provin ce V Barbara Schafer, Provin ce VIII Caitlyn Darnell, Young Adult

The Rt. Rev. Thoma s Breidenthal Bishop, Diocese of Southern Ohio

Diocesan UTO Coordi This United Thank Offeri nator ng grant was made possib le by Blue Box offerin gs given as tangible means of prayerfully thanking God. To participate in the United Thank Offering The United Thank Offeri please visit our websit ng Board asks God’s e www.episco blessing on this minist ry and on all who serve palchurch.org/uto. or are served through its mission.

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General Convention commits to racial reconciliation and becoming a ‘Beloved Community’

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[Episcopal News Service] Efforts that began in 2015 with action by General Convention, when racial reconciliation was identified as a priority of the Episcopal Church, are bearing fruit in work done during the 79th General Convention.

That emphasis was made clear early on in the convention, when a joint session of deputies and bishops spent 90 minutes focused on racial reconciliation, one of three TEConversations.

The TEConversation featured three speakers: Arno Michaelis, a former leader of a worldwide racist skinhead organization who now works to get people out of similar hate groups; Catherine Catherine Meeks, director of the Absalom Jones Episcopal Meeks Center for Racial Healing in Atlanta; and the Rev. Nancy Frausto, a “Dreamer” who come to the United States without documents as a seven-year-old child.

Framing discussions throughout the convention was the concept of “Becoming Beloved Community,” the Episcopal Church’s long-term commitment to racial healing, reconciliation and justice. It represents a series of interrelated commitments around which Episcopalians can organize efforts to respond to racial injustice and build a community of people working for reconciliation and healing: • Telling the truth about the church and race • Proclaiming the dream of beloved community • Practicing the way of love • Repairing the breach in society and institutions Resolution D022 provides $5 million over the next three years to help dioceses and other entities of the church to respond to racial injustice. The Rev. John Kitagawa, deputy from Arizona and a member of the joint legislative committee on Racial Justice and Reconciliation, said most of the money will go to grants to help this work in communities – dioceses, congregations and regions. “Many things in the past have been top-down,” he said. “This is bottom-up.”

Bishop Prince Singh of Rochester, bishop chair of the legislative committee, said he was most excited about a new initiative adopted by the convention – a Beloved Community summit. Resolution A228 provides for a gathering of leaders working in racial reconciliation and racial justice across the Episcopal Church before the end of 2019.

Singh said the summit will “share best practices, build networks and strengthen curricula. It’s building capacity so Episcopalians can play a leadership role in their communities

The joint session of deputies and bishops during the TEConversation on racial reconciliation. Photo screenshot from video. and not just in the church.”

Kitagawa said the event will be an aid to people who are engaged in this work. “It can be lonely,” he said, so understanding who is in the work together will help.

The convention also tackled the issue of expanding antiracism efforts to include racial reconciliation. That is reflected in Resolution B004, which started as a resolution calling for an end to use of the term “anti-racism” as spiritually imprecise. It was amended to encourage continuing work to address institutional and systemic racism while acknowledging the need to work for healing, justice and reconciliation.

Singh said some people welcomed the chance to move forward with racial reconciliation, healing and justice, while others feared losing a commitment to dismantle racism.

He also said he was excited about a new framework for training that “can be a part of transformation and formation.”

Resolutions A045 reaffirmed the necessity and importance of anti-racism training while calling for ongoing spiritual formation and education focused on racial healing, justice, and reconciliation.

“Racism isn’t a binary black-white issue,” he said, as it affects Asians, Latinos, Native Americans and others. With the church made up of diverse languages and cultures, “training needs to take that into account.”

Melodie Woerman is director of communications for the Diocese of Kansas and served as a member of the ENS General Convention reporting team. This article was originally published July 13, 2018 at episcopalnewsservice.org.

An Invitation from Presiding Bishop Michael B. Curry to

Practice the Way of Love

I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. – Ephesians 3:17-19 In the first century Jesus of Nazareth inspired a movement. A community of people whose lives were centered on Jesus Christ and committed to living the way of God’s unconditional, unselfish, sacrificial, and redemptive love. Before they were called “church” or “Christian,” this Jesus Movement was simply called “the way.”

Today I believe our vocation is to live as the Episcopal branch of the Jesus Movement. But how can we together grow more deeply with Jesus Christ at the center of our lives, so we can bear witness to his way of love in and for the world?

The deep roots of our Christian tradition may offer just such a path. For centuries, monastic communities have shaped their lives around rhythms and disciplines for following Jesus together. Such a pattern is known as a “Rule of Life.” The framework you now hold – The Way of Love: Practices for Jesus-Centered Life – outlines a Rule for the Episcopal branch of the Jesus Movement.

It is designed to be spare and spacious, so that individuals, ministry groups, congregations, and networks can flesh it out in unique ways and build a church-wide treasure trove of stories and resources. There is no specific order you need to follow.

If you already keep a Rule or spiritual disciplines, you might reflect and discover how that path intersects with this one. By entering into reflection, discernment and commitment around the practices of Turn - Learn - Pray - Worship - Bless - Go Rest, I pray we will grow as communities following the loving, liberating, life-giving way of Jesus. His way has the power to change each of our lives and to change this world.

Your brother in the Way of Jesus, +Michael The Most Reverend Michael B. Curry, Primate and Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church

The Way of Love

a path to becoming Beloved Community

Celebrant: Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?

People: I will, with God’s help.

The first time I heard about Becoming Beloved Community I was attending a diocesan Learning Team meeting to discuss the theme for the next year. I listened to the presentation, described what Beloved Community was for me, and then came to understand what was being asked of us to do: tailor our work to the concept of racial reconciliation. My immediate response was NO. Why would I want to open wounds I’d rather leave closed? Why would I want to keep having the same conversations with worsening results?

As I ignored all calls to participate in this work, last May I was called to help craft the language and materials for The Way of Love: Practices for a Jesus-Centered Life. Turn, Learn, Pray, Worship, Bless, Go, and Rest, these seven practices form a rule of life to help bring you a deeper, fuller spiritual life. In the months since, I’ve learned more about Becoming Beloved

Community. As I prayed about delving deeper into the work of racial reconciliation and healing, I could see how the two initiatives depend on each other for success.

Practice anything daily, and you will get better at it – perhaps not the way you expect, but you will see change. Starting with prayer, I chose one Way of Love practice each day for a couple of weeks and then began to add another. Focusing my prayer helped me to discern that I could not let my elders and ancestors down by ignoring the call to the intense work of racial reconciliation.

Through prayer, walking, reading scripture, Eucharist, and more prayer, I’ve embraced the concept of Becoming Beloved Community. Honestly, I don’t want to have challenging and painful conversations. I’m a black woman – my family engages in hard discussions every day. I don’t want to do it with friends, let alone strangers.

But I do want everyone to experience Beloved Community – the place where you feel you can worship God, Jesus, and Spirit in full comfort and freedom of expression. I had that at

St. Andrew’s in Evanston. Growing up in that most special place with that most special group of people meant having a family who loved, cared, cheered, supported and disciplined me through my childhood. I want that for everyone.

Presiding Bishop Curry pushes us toward a better life as Sisters and Brothers in Christ with Becoming Beloved Community and he gives us the tools to help us do it with The Way of Love. When our Baptismal Covenant asks you to seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbors as yourself, remember: I will, with God’s help. Please pray for all

of us who begin the work of Becoming Beloved Community in earnest. The Way of Love will strengthen you as you prepare to join us.

Miriam McKinney serves as Development Director for Forward Movement and is a member of Calvary, Clifton.

The wallet cards pictured below are just some of the resources available for download at episcopalchurch.org/way-of-love-materials

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The Way of Love

a path to becoming Beloved Community

Celebrant: Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?

People: I will, with God’s help.

The first time I heard about Becoming Beloved Community I was attending a diocesan Learning Team meeting to discuss the theme for the next year. I listened to the presentation, described what Beloved Community was for me, and then came to understand what was being asked of us to do: tailor our work to the concept of racial reconciliation. My immediate response was NO. Why would I want to open wounds I’d rather leave closed? Why would I want to keep having the same conversations with worsening results?

As I ignored all calls to participate in this work, last May I was called to help craft the language and materials for The Way of Love: Practices for a Jesus-Centered Life. Turn, Learn, Pray, Worship, Bless, Go, and Rest, these seven practices form a rule of life to help bring you a deeper, fuller spiritual life. In the months since, I’ve learned more about Becoming Beloved

Community. As I prayed about delving deeper into the work of racial reconciliation and healing, I could see how the two initiatives depend on each other for success.

Practice anything daily, and you will get better at it – perhaps not the way you expect, but you will see change. Starting with prayer, I chose one Way of Love practice each day for a couple of weeks and then began to add another. Focusing my prayer helped me to discern that I could not let my elders and ancestors down by ignoring the call to the intense work of racial reconciliation.

Through prayer, walking, reading scripture, Eucharist, and more prayer, I’ve embraced the concept of Becoming Beloved Community. Honestly, I don’t want to have challenging and painful conversations. I’m a black woman – my family engages in hard discussions every day. I don’t want to do it with friends, let alone strangers.

But I do want everyone to experience Beloved Community – the place where you feel you can worship God, Jesus, and Spirit in full comfort and freedom of expression. I had that at

St. Andrew’s in Evanston. Growing up in that most special place with that most special group of people meant having a family who loved, cared, cheered, supported and disciplined me through my childhood. I want that for everyone.

Presiding Bishop Curry pushes us toward a better life as Sisters and Brothers in Christ with Becoming Beloved Community and he gives us the tools to help us do it with The Way of Love. When our Baptismal Covenant asks you to seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbors as yourself, remember: I will, with God’s help. Please pray for all

of us who begin the work of Becoming Beloved Community in earnest. The Way of Love will strengthen you as you prepare to join us.

Miriam McKinney serves as Development Director for Forward Movement and is a member of Calvary, Clifton.

The wallet cards pictured below are just some of the resources available for download at episcopalchurch.org/way-of-love-materials

11

SOCIAL JUSTICE

is the love of Jesus in action

At the 79th General Convention, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry kicked off the campaign “Becoming the Beloved Community,” and The Episcopal Church’s participation in the larger interreligious ‘Jesus Movement’. There will be a churchwide focus on what we can do to become the ‘beloved community’ and live more fully into the teachings of Jesus; one of the hallmarks of the Jesus Movement is ensuring there is a just society for all people.

According to the New Oxford American Dictionary, social justice is "justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society."

Aristotle, in The Politics, said ‘justice’ ensured that individuals both fulfilled their societal roles and received what was their due from society. Joseph Joubert, a French moralist and essayist, said it more succinctly, “Justice is truth in action.”

Over the years, these benefits and rights have come to include public education, access to health care, social security, the right to organize, and a broader spectrum of other public service: the citizen has the responsibility to vote, pay equitable taxes, defend the country, and work for the common good of all citizens.

A progressive tax structure and regulation of markets have been developed to help distribute wealth more equally and give more people access to property ownership

and job security.

Who could be against justice? If there's one thing that the laws and prophets – and especially Jesus – agreed on, it's justice for all, regardless of a person’s background or social status.

Some Christians believe that justice is strictly the punishment of wrongdoing, as in our court systems. They would insist that helping the needy through generous giving should be called mercy, compassion or charity – not justice.

In English, however, the word “charity” conveys a good, but elective, activity. Charity cannot be a requirement, for then it would not be charity. In Matthew 6:1-2, gifts to the poor are called “acts of righteousness.” Not giving generously, then, is not stinginess but unrighteousness, a violation of God’s law. In the book of Job, we see Job call every failure to help the poor a sin, offensive to God’s splendor (Job 31:23) and deserving of judgment and punishment (Job 31:28). Remarkably, Job is asserting that it would be a sin against God to think of one’s goods as belonging to himself alone. To not ‘share his bread’ and assets with the poor would be unrighteous, a sin against God – a violation of God’s justice.

Despite the effort to differentiate between “justice” as legal fairness and sharing as “charity,” numerous Scripture passages make radical generosity necessary to live justly. Just persons live a life of honesty, equity and generosity in every aspect of their life.

If you are trying to live a life in accordance with the Bible, the concept and call to justice is inescapable. We do justice when we give all human beings their due as creations of God. Doing justice includes not only the righting of wrongs, but practicing generosity and an interest in social concern, especially toward the poor and vulnerable.

Again and again in the Gospels, Jesus angrily challenges the religious authorities, mocking them for their self-aggrandizing, self-promoting ways. He alienated the elite by spending time with and showing favor to the poor and marginalized; he talked to women, ate without regard for the dietary rules, he healed those considered unclean and returned them to wholeness. He questioned current laws and challenged the status quo. And as a result, he became the target of those in authority. Ultimately, those authorities killed him.

Nevertheless, Jesus showed us that there are times when we must stand up and express ‘truth to power’ in constructive, meaningful, unyielding ways despite the possible consequences. Consider how often, and in how many ways, Jesus expressed anger in the Gospels. He was clear and direct, bringing about justice or revealing malice or ignorance. He made no personal attacks, but sought to uncover the evil behind the actions. There is no record of Jesus being angered by a personal offense, no matter how wrong, unjust or violent it may have

been. He lived and taught that the one who is persecuting us is also created in the image of God and loved by God, and in that reality, we CAN love our enemy.

Just as God is righteously angered over oppression and injustice, so we should be. Learning how to balance these teachings and actions is a lifelong process for those who choose to follow in God’s ways. The Good Samaritan wasn't good because of his origins or because he was traveling. Instead, he looked around him, around where he lived and worked and traveled, saw a human in need, and got involved. He gave up time, money, and most likely status and respect in doing so.

As he went about his day, he loved someone and righted an injustice.

There are many ways people of faith can be involved in helping set things right. We can encourage our government to shelter the homeless, feed the hungry, clothe those in need; we can advocate for those suffering from mental illness, work for a fair and rehabilitative prison system; we can work with youth who need an adult mentor, visit the sick or infirmed – the need for the love of Jesus, for real justice is everywhere.

As we near a new ecclesiastical year, it is a good season for each of us to ask ourselves: How can our love of Jesus be channeled into loving action? We, as members of the Diocese of Southern Ohio, have an obligation to work for social justice in the world about us, just as Jesus did. And like Jesus, we should be angry at many instances of injustice that prompt us to speak truth in love to our friends, our neighbors, our legislators, our nation and the world.

We would do well to remember what Micah 6:6-8 says: With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? The Good Samaritan was one person – one person who made a difference in the life of one man. Think about what a group of Christians could do if they combined their time and energy to right the injustices in the world. Are you ready to take those steps necessary to carry out the teachings of Jesus? Are you ready to ‘strive to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God’?

The Rev. Deniray Mueller serves as Legislative Liaison for the Diocese of Southern Ohio. Connect with her at deniray@deniray.com.

13

SOCIAL JUSTICE

is the love of Jesus in action

At the 79th General Convention, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry kicked off the campaign “Becoming the Beloved Community,” and The Episcopal Church’s participation in the larger interreligious ‘Jesus Movement’. There will be a churchwide focus on what we can do to become the ‘beloved community’ and live more fully into the teachings of Jesus; one of the hallmarks of the Jesus Movement is ensuring there is a just society for all people.

According to the New Oxford American Dictionary, social justice is "justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society."

Aristotle, in The Politics, said ‘justice’ ensured that individuals both fulfilled their societal roles and received what was their due from society. Joseph Joubert, a French moralist and essayist, said it more succinctly, “Justice is truth in action.”

Over the years, these benefits and rights have come to include public education, access to health care, social security, the right to organize, and a broader spectrum of other public service: the citizen has the responsibility to vote, pay equitable taxes, defend the country, and work for the common good of all citizens.

A progressive tax structure and regulation of markets have been developed to help distribute wealth more equally and give more people access to property ownership

and job security.

Who could be against justice? If there's one thing that the laws and prophets – and especially Jesus – agreed on, it's justice for all, regardless of a person’s background or social status.

Some Christians believe that justice is strictly the punishment of wrongdoing, as in our court systems. They would insist that helping the needy through generous giving should be called mercy, compassion or charity – not justice.

In English, however, the word “charity” conveys a good, but elective, activity. Charity cannot be a requirement, for then it would not be charity. In Matthew 6:1-2, gifts to the poor are called “acts of righteousness.” Not giving generously, then, is not stinginess but unrighteousness, a violation of God’s law. In the book of Job, we see Job call every failure to help the poor a sin, offensive to God’s splendor (Job 31:23) and deserving of judgment and punishment (Job 31:28). Remarkably, Job is asserting that it would be a sin against God to think of one’s goods as belonging to himself alone. To not ‘share his bread’ and assets with the poor would be unrighteous, a sin against God – a violation of God’s justice.

Despite the effort to differentiate between “justice” as legal fairness and sharing as “charity,” numerous Scripture passages make radical generosity necessary to live justly. Just persons live a life of honesty, equity and generosity in every aspect of their life.

If you are trying to live a life in accordance with the Bible, the concept and call to justice is inescapable. We do justice when we give all human beings their due as creations of God. Doing justice includes not only the righting of wrongs, but practicing generosity and an interest in social concern, especially toward the poor and vulnerable.

Again and again in the Gospels, Jesus angrily challenges the religious authorities, mocking them for their self-aggrandizing, self-promoting ways. He alienated the elite by spending time with and showing favor to the poor and marginalized; he talked to women, ate without regard for the dietary rules, he healed those considered unclean and returned them to wholeness. He questioned current laws and challenged the status quo. And as a result, he became the target of those in authority. Ultimately, those authorities killed him.

Nevertheless, Jesus showed us that there are times when we must stand up and express ‘truth to power’ in constructive, meaningful, unyielding ways despite the possible consequences. Consider how often, and in how many ways, Jesus expressed anger in the Gospels. He was clear and direct, bringing about justice or revealing malice or ignorance. He made no personal attacks, but sought to uncover the evil behind the actions. There is no record of Jesus being angered by a personal offense, no matter how wrong, unjust or violent it may have

been. He lived and taught that the one who is persecuting us is also created in the image of God and loved by God, and in that reality, we CAN love our enemy.

Just as God is righteously angered over oppression and injustice, so we should be. Learning how to balance these teachings and actions is a lifelong process for those who choose to follow in God’s ways. The Good Samaritan wasn't good because of his origins or because he was traveling. Instead, he looked around him, around where he lived and worked and traveled, saw a human in need, and got involved. He gave up time, money, and most likely status and respect in doing so.

As he went about his day, he loved someone and righted an injustice.

There are many ways people of faith can be involved in helping set things right. We can encourage our government to shelter the homeless, feed the hungry, clothe those in need; we can advocate for those suffering from mental illness, work for a fair and rehabilitative prison system; we can work with youth who need an adult mentor, visit the sick or infirmed – the need for the love of Jesus, for real justice is everywhere.

As we near a new ecclesiastical year, it is a good season for each of us to ask ourselves: How can our love of Jesus be channeled into loving action? We, as members of the Diocese of Southern Ohio, have an obligation to work for social justice in the world about us, just as Jesus did. And like Jesus, we should be angry at many instances of injustice that prompt us to speak truth in love to our friends, our neighbors, our legislators, our nation and the world.

We would do well to remember what Micah 6:6-8 says: With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? The Good Samaritan was one person – one person who made a difference in the life of one man. Think about what a group of Christians could do if they combined their time and energy to right the injustices in the world. Are you ready to take those steps necessary to carry out the teachings of Jesus? Are you ready to ‘strive to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God’?

The Rev. Deniray Mueller serves as Legislative Liaison for the Diocese of Southern Ohio. Connect with her at deniray@deniray.com.

13

Practicing beloved community How your community of faith can bring about lasting change

We’ve heard the proverb “Give a person a fish and s/he eats for a day. Teach the person to fish and s/he eats for a lifetime.” Becoming the beloved community requires that we meet immediate needs AND face the demanding work of changing the conditions that create that need. Our take on the old proverb might be “Give a bag of groceries to a person and s/he eats for a week. Give a person a job, a living wage, a safe environment and access to high quality health care and s/he eats for a lifetime.”

We in the Diocese of Southern Ohio are very good at meeting immediate needs for food, clothing, temporary shelter, school supplies, and so much more. As we embrace the challenge and opportunity of becoming beloved community, we are invited to think more deeply and act more intentionally to bring about lasting changes in our communities. Below are a few suggestions on how our congregations can address justice issues in our communities.

BUILD AWARENESS

Host conversations with diverse congregations and communities to gain a clearer idea of what are the issues that divide us. Agree on issues for concrete action and develop strategies that will have lasting impact.

Learn about the value of community asset mapping at communitycrewhub.com/assests/Asset_Mapping_Workbook.pdf or a similar site. Develop two asset maps – one of the community surrounding your parish and one of an impoverished neighborhood close to you (if these locations are different).

Compare the maps and discuss the availability of jobs, services, and community resources. Get to know your neighbors and plan together to address disparities. Take action to bring more equity among neighborhoods in terms of shopping, jobs, transportation, services, and recreational resources.

Participate in the diocesan Big Read of Luke/Acts with special attention to Jesus’ concern for justice for “the least of these.”

Host book studies and video discussions based on the resources listed on the diocesan Becoming Beloved Community website www.DSObeloved.org

CREATE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

Explore partnerships with other communities of faith and local organizations in addressing the needs in your community, the state, the country, and the world.

Host gatherings with people of other faiths, nationalities, and cultures. Plan for recurring get-togethers so that relationships have an opportunity to deepen.

Provide volunteers for projects that make lasting changes in the community, such as Habitat for Humanity, job training and educational enrichment programs, mentoring and community gardens.

Partner with a neighborhood school, volunteering time and talent to mentor students.

BE THE CHANGES YOU HOPE TO SEE

A high percentage of youth who “age out” of foster care experience homelessness. If you or other families in your congregation have a spare room, offer housing to a young person leaving the foster care system.

Experience first-hand eating on a SNAP (food stamp) budget. Challenge members to spend a week preparing food using $1.41 per person per meal – the average SNAP benefit. At the end of the week, discuss the experience and plan actions to address the inadequacy of the benefit amount.

Assemble “Welcome Home” gifts to provide needed household items and support for families transitioning from homelessness to housing.

Plant a community garden and fruit trees, hanging out a “Welcome” sign to passers-by who may enjoy a fresh tomato, an apple or a bunch of lettuce.

If you own a business or hire employees, create internships, job-shadowing experiences and employment opportunities for youth and adults in need, with focused efforts to hire those who have been incarcerated in the past. Volunteer in job preparation programs, sharing your expertise with others. Model just employment practices (wages and benefits).

Institute changes in your congregation’s employment practices to ensure justice.

Recycle and reuse. Place recycling containers next to every trash can in your church. Eliminate the use of disposable plastic water bottles, paper plates, Styrofoam containers, and plastic dinnerware.

Offer unused space in your building to programs that address long-term solutions to issues in the community.

Join local and statewide community organizing efforts to bring direct action to issues of justice.

SPEAK UP FOR JUSTICE

VOTE. Hold or attend candidate forums to learn where those running for office stand on the issues of justice for all of God’s people.

Know your elected officials – local, state, and national.

Invite them to your congregation to discuss issues of justice in your community. Invite them to walk with you through communities where human need is great.

Know the laws being proposed at local, state, and national levels of government. The Rev. Deniray Mueller provides weekly updates in our diocesan e-Connections.

Participate in lobby days sponsored by local and statewide groups around issues important to you. Take your children with you to visit the Ohio Statehouse.

Based on the asset maps you have drawn, advocate for changes that bring more equality to all your neighbors in terms of shopping, jobs, services, and recreational resources.

The Rev. Dr. Lee Anne Reat serves as Canon for Formation for the Diocese of Southern Ohio.

Connect with her at lareat@diosohio.org.

15

Practicing beloved community How your community of faith can bring about lasting change

We’ve heard the proverb “Give a person a fish and s/he eats for a day. Teach the person to fish and s/he eats for a lifetime.” Becoming the beloved community requires that we meet immediate needs AND face the demanding work of changing the conditions that create that need. Our take on the old proverb might be “Give a bag of groceries to a person and s/he eats for a week. Give a person a job, a living wage, a safe environment and access to high quality health care and s/he eats for a lifetime.”

We in the Diocese of Southern Ohio are very good at meeting immediate needs for food, clothing, temporary shelter, school supplies, and so much more. As we embrace the challenge and opportunity of becoming beloved community, we are invited to think more deeply and act more intentionally to bring about lasting changes in our communities. Below are a few suggestions on how our congregations can address justice issues in our communities.

BUILD AWARENESS

Host conversations with diverse congregations and communities to gain a clearer idea of what are the issues that divide us. Agree on issues for concrete action and develop strategies that will have lasting impact.

Learn about the value of community asset mapping at communitycrewhub.com/assests/Asset_Mapping_Workbook.pdf or a similar site. Develop two asset maps – one of the community surrounding your parish and one of an impoverished neighborhood close to you (if these locations are different).

Compare the maps and discuss the availability of jobs, services, and community resources. Get to know your neighbors and plan together to address disparities. Take action to bring more equity among neighborhoods in terms of shopping, jobs, transportation, services, and recreational resources.

Participate in the diocesan Big Read of Luke/Acts with special attention to Jesus’ concern for justice for “the least of these.”

Host book studies and video discussions based on the resources listed on the diocesan Becoming Beloved Community website www.DSObeloved.org

CREATE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

Explore partnerships with other communities of faith and local organizations in addressing the needs in your community, the state, the country, and the world.

Host gatherings with people of other faiths, nationalities, and cultures. Plan for recurring get-togethers so that relationships have an opportunity to deepen.

Provide volunteers for projects that make lasting changes in the community, such as Habitat for Humanity, job training and educational enrichment programs, mentoring and community gardens.

Partner with a neighborhood school, volunteering time and talent to mentor students.

BE THE CHANGES YOU HOPE TO SEE

A high percentage of youth who “age out” of foster care experience homelessness. If you or other families in your congregation have a spare room, offer housing to a young person leaving the foster care system.

Experience first-hand eating on a SNAP (food stamp) budget. Challenge members to spend a week preparing food using $1.41 per person per meal – the average SNAP benefit. At the end of the week, discuss the experience and plan actions to address the inadequacy of the benefit amount.

Assemble “Welcome Home” gifts to provide needed household items and support for families transitioning from homelessness to housing.

Plant a community garden and fruit trees, hanging out a “Welcome” sign to passers-by who may enjoy a fresh tomato, an apple or a bunch of lettuce.

If you own a business or hire employees, create internships, job-shadowing experiences and employment opportunities for youth and adults in need, with focused efforts to hire those who have been incarcerated in the past. Volunteer in job preparation programs, sharing your expertise with others. Model just employment practices (wages and benefits).

Institute changes in your congregation’s employment practices to ensure justice.

Recycle and reuse. Place recycling containers next to every trash can in your church. Eliminate the use of disposable plastic water bottles, paper plates, Styrofoam containers, and plastic dinnerware.

Offer unused space in your building to programs that address long-term solutions to issues in the community.

Join local and statewide community organizing efforts to bring direct action to issues of justice.

SPEAK UP FOR JUSTICE

VOTE. Hold or attend candidate forums to learn where those running for office stand on the issues of justice for all of God’s people.

Know your elected officials – local, state, and national.

Invite them to your congregation to discuss issues of justice in your community. Invite them to walk with you through communities where human need is great.

Know the laws being proposed at local, state, and national levels of government. The Rev. Deniray Mueller provides weekly updates in our diocesan e-Connections.

Participate in lobby days sponsored by local and statewide groups around issues important to you. Take your children with you to visit the Ohio Statehouse.

Based on the asset maps you have drawn, advocate for changes that bring more equality to all your neighbors in terms of shopping, jobs, services, and recreational resources.

The Rev. Dr. Lee Anne Reat serves as Canon for Formation for the Diocese of Southern Ohio.

Connect with her at lareat@diosohio.org.

15

TOWER OF BABEL a theological backdrop for the Beloved Community

11 Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. 2 And as they migrated from the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3 And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.”

And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” 5 The Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which mortals had built. 6 And the Lord said, “Look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down, and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.” 8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. 9 Therefore it was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth. Genesis 11:1-9, New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) The Tower of Babel story stands as a witness to the depravity of humanity. Reflecting on the story, one sees the connection to the past: To a people who do not seek community/ understanding and who want power because of a fear of the largeness of life. A people who thrive in chaos and actively destroy peace. A people who want grayscale instead of color.

But, one also sees the connection to the future. What do you suppose ancient people thought as they heard the story? Did they look at the success stories of the day and compare/contrast? Did they consider their work through the lens of Babel?

Were they fearful of the collapse of their traditions? What if someone married the wrong person and brought shame onto the house? What if someone crossed a boundary and made themselves unclean? Did they believe God had punished or would punish them?

The people of Babel wanted to codify their existence as other – set apart. They wanted to pit themselves – us vs. them.

Gods were considered set apart. Gods lived in high places – upon hills, mountaintops and the pinnacles of towers. The People of Babel thought they would receive the power of the gods (note the small ‘g’). The irony, though, was that the great “I AM” never had distance between humanity and the Holy One. The People of Babel were trying to be like the gods of the surrounding people. (Yes, people lived outside of the Biblical world. Scripture was a theological reflection between a people and their God.) The People of Babel wanted to name themselves. Both then and now, naming someone implies power over them. The People of Babel said, “We have created ourselves – pulled ourselves up by our bootstraps.” With such a posture, infighting, confusion and disarray followed them. They could not finish what they started. They ignored the Holy One and despised themselves.

Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Yehudah Berlin (AKA Netziv) suggested that a limiting perception of God and humanity was prominent in the People of Babel. Imagine the God of the universe

being placed in a space and not allowed to do what the Holy One does. Namely, create!

God creates. God creates the similar and the dissimilar. God creates the textures, the colors, the sounds and smells that the People of Babel no longer appreciated. They were narcissistic.

The people of Babel no longer sought understanding. They were single-minded – simple-minded. They desired something built with hands instead of that freely given creation by the Holy One. It was humanity that God pronounced good.

Humanity, though, said no. What is made with hands and human ingenuity preceded the Holy One – blocked God’s creative action, God’s design.

The First Testament shows us a God concerned with authentic relationships and justice. God does not punish in the story. God relies on the People of Babel’s God-given agency.

Through their doing, they built a society bent on destruction.

The tower was a symptom of a greater disease. People willingly destroyed one another, God’s creations, society and the Breath of God that gave order to the chaos that preceded life as it was known during the Babel time period.

One of the running themes contained in Scripture – backwards priorities – stood as a message for hearers of the Word.

Later, the Gospels told of Jesus the Anointed reminding and revealing to people that their priorities were topsy-turvy.

Living in isolation, in separation, belonged to the People of Babel. They wanted a space created and named by humanity and living set apart from God. But God exists in community.

God desires creation to live in community. Living in isolation is not part of God’s essence.

Quinton Jefferson, Adjunct Professor at Thomas More College and grant administrator at Cincinnati-Hamilton County Community Action Agency, is a member of Christ Church Cathedral.

17

TOWER OF BABEL a theological backdrop for the Beloved Community

11 Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. 2 And as they migrated from the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3 And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.”

And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” 5 The Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which mortals had built. 6 And the Lord said, “Look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down, and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.” 8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. 9 Therefore it was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth. Genesis 11:1-9, New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) The Tower of Babel story stands as a witness to the depravity of humanity. Reflecting on the story, one sees the connection to the past: To a people who do not seek community/ understanding and who want power because of a fear of the largeness of life. A people who thrive in chaos and actively destroy peace. A people who want grayscale instead of color.

But, one also sees the connection to the future. What do you suppose ancient people thought as they heard the story? Did they look at the success stories of the day and compare/contrast? Did they consider their work through the lens of Babel?

Were they fearful of the collapse of their traditions? What if someone married the wrong person and brought shame onto the house? What if someone crossed a boundary and made themselves unclean? Did they believe God had punished or would punish them?

The people of Babel wanted to codify their existence as other – set apart. They wanted to pit themselves – us vs. them.

Gods were considered set apart. Gods lived in high places – upon hills, mountaintops and the pinnacles of towers. The People of Babel thought they would receive the power of the gods (note the small ‘g’). The irony, though, was that the great “I AM” never had distance between humanity and the Holy One. The People of Babel were trying to be like the gods of the surrounding people. (Yes, people lived outside of the Biblical world. Scripture was a theological reflection between a people and their God.) The People of Babel wanted to name themselves. Both then and now, naming someone implies power over them. The People of Babel said, “We have created ourselves – pulled ourselves up by our bootstraps.” With such a posture, infighting, confusion and disarray followed them. They could not finish what they started. They ignored the Holy One and despised themselves.

Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Yehudah Berlin (AKA Netziv) suggested that a limiting perception of God and humanity was prominent in the People of Babel. Imagine the God of the universe

being placed in a space and not allowed to do what the Holy One does. Namely, create!

God creates. God creates the similar and the dissimilar. God creates the textures, the colors, the sounds and smells that the People of Babel no longer appreciated. They were narcissistic.

The people of Babel no longer sought understanding. They were single-minded – simple-minded. They desired something built with hands instead of that freely given creation by the Holy One. It was humanity that God pronounced good.

Humanity, though, said no. What is made with hands and human ingenuity preceded the Holy One – blocked God’s creative action, God’s design.

The First Testament shows us a God concerned with authentic relationships and justice. God does not punish in the story. God relies on the People of Babel’s God-given agency.

Through their doing, they built a society bent on destruction.

The tower was a symptom of a greater disease. People willingly destroyed one another, God’s creations, society and the Breath of God that gave order to the chaos that preceded life as it was known during the Babel time period.

One of the running themes contained in Scripture – backwards priorities – stood as a message for hearers of the Word.

Later, the Gospels told of Jesus the Anointed reminding and revealing to people that their priorities were topsy-turvy.

Living in isolation, in separation, belonged to the People of Babel. They wanted a space created and named by humanity and living set apart from God. But God exists in community.

God desires creation to live in community. Living in isolation is not part of God’s essence.

Quinton Jefferson, Adjunct Professor at Thomas More College and grant administrator at Cincinnati-Hamilton County Community Action Agency, is a member of Christ Church Cathedral.

17

Teaching our black daughter about our white racism I met my daughter when she was three. Her mother and I had begun dating. Indeed, our first date involved taking Ella to the park. Though I wasn’t bothered, I was aware of some people staring at the three of us – two white adults and a black child. Within weeks, I fell in love with mother and daughter.

Six months later, we became a family.

I assumed being Ella’s father would be a piece of cake. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I soon realized I was a bumbling idiot when it came to raising a black daughter and that, unless I began a crash course on racism and white privilege, I had the potential to do damage to the psyche of my black daughter. Together, my wife and I committed to learning all we could about the experiences and perspectives of people of color, especially from parents of color.

18

One of our early struggles was in accepting our inability to escape our racial prejudices. As Ella’s parents, we quickly saw how white people interacted with her from a racial bias. It took us longer to realize their affliction was our own. We too were hopelessly prone to acting out of those biases and our love for Ella did not negate this propensity. Like all white American adults, we were racist.

Since I know many white people find this assertion offensive, let me be crystal clear about what I mean and don’t mean by saying “all white American adults are racist.” I do not mean that all white Americans adults are bad people. Indeed, in my experience, many white people are genuinely interested in addressing the racism in themselves and in our society. When I say “all white American adults are racist,” I am acknowledging that all white Americans adults have been raised in a segregated and racially unequal society where they have had the power to act on and reinforce their prejudices with little accountability. Much of this racism is so subtle that we, who are white, cannot see it.

For example, recently one of my daughter’s white teachers called my wife to report that Ella was being disrespectful and disruptive in class. As any responsible white parent would do, we accepted her teacher’s description of Ella’s behavior as accurate, made Ella write a note of apology and temporarily took away some of her privileges as punishment. We did not ask Ella if she thought the teacher’s description of her behavior was fair.

That was racist behavior on our part.

We should have known better. While it was certainly possible that Ella’s behavior was disrespectful, we had read enough about racial dynamics to know that - at about Ella’s age - the assertiveness and independence of young black women often comes under attack. They are no longer cute. As women of color, they are becoming threatening. White society has very definite expectations about their behavior and often tries to enforce them. Instead of reserving judgment until we more fully understood any possible racial bias on the teacher’s part, we did what white parents with white children can do – we assumed the teacher’s perspective was unbiased.

As it turned out, when we later discussed this situation with Ella, she acknowledged her behavior had been disrespectful.

However, this does not excuse our racism. Ella is going to spend the rest of her life having white people treat her differently because of the color of her skin. She does not need her parents uncritically justifying and supporting her mistreatment, always assuming that the perspective of the white person in the interaction is unbiased.

Acknowledging our own racism is only part of our responsibility as Ella’s parents. We must also prepare our daughter for a world where all white American adults are racist. Every

single white American adult that she will encounter in life will have some conscious or unconscious bias about her because of the color of her skin. This is true of the “good” white people as well as the “bad” white people. This is true even of those who love her the most – her white parents.

Inevitably, Ella will become aware of this reality. Soon, like all teenagers, she will become adept at identifying our parental hypocrisies. If we want our relationship to our daughter to be rich and deep, we need to make certain that when we say or do things out of our racism, she can understand our behavior as systemic. Our racism is not an intentional act of disrespect.

When she begins to call out our racism, we don’t want her to see our racism as evidence of some deeper animosity toward her. She can freely and openly challenge us. Why? Because we are already convinced of our biases and want to address them.

The second reason we must prepare our daughter for a world where all white American adults are racist is for her self-protection. If she had been raised by black parents, she would have learned this maxim in countless ways – through observation, through story, through experience and through training. She would know that she must always assume racial bias on the part of white people. She cannot afford the assumption that the police officer who has pulled her over will treat her with respect and equity. To do so puts her life at risk.

This knowledge is especially important as a child raised by white parents. We have been able to shield Ella from much of the racism most children of color encounter from their earliest years. She has been raised around white friends and family that have treated her with affection and acceptance. In so doing, we have created false expectations. Reminding her that all white American adults are racist is vital as we send her into the world.

Ironically, when it comes to racism, there will soon be a role reversal in our relationship with our daughter. We have been the teacher and she has been the student. As she becomes an adult and fully experiences what it means to be a black woman in America, she will have much to teach us. Though we expect some of those lessons to be painful, we want her to know that some white American adults are willing to listen and learn. We cannot completely eliminate our racial biases, but we can demonstrate the proper response to such selfawareness - you vigilantly work to diminish and mitigate the impact of your biases on the world.

James Mulholland is fifty-seven year old white man and father of an eleven-year-old black daughter. This post was originally published on his blog, “Note to my White Self,” where he reflects on his latent racism and white privilege. www.notetomywhiteself.wordpress.com

19

Teaching our black daughter about our white racism I met my daughter when she was three. Her mother and I had begun dating. Indeed, our first date involved taking Ella to the park. Though I wasn’t bothered, I was aware of some people staring at the three of us – two white adults and a black child. Within weeks, I fell in love with mother and daughter.

Six months later, we became a family.

I assumed being Ella’s father would be a piece of cake. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I soon realized I was a bumbling idiot when it came to raising a black daughter and that, unless I began a crash course on racism and white privilege, I had the potential to do damage to the psyche of my black daughter. Together, my wife and I committed to learning all we could about the experiences and perspectives of people of color, especially from parents of color.

18

One of our early struggles was in accepting our inability to escape our racial prejudices. As Ella’s parents, we quickly saw how white people interacted with her from a racial bias. It took us longer to realize their affliction was our own. We too were hopelessly prone to acting out of those biases and our love for Ella did not negate this propensity. Like all white American adults, we were racist.

Since I know many white people find this assertion offensive, let me be crystal clear about what I mean and don’t mean by saying “all white American adults are racist.” I do not mean that all white Americans adults are bad people. Indeed, in my experience, many white people are genuinely interested in addressing the racism in themselves and in our society. When I say “all white American adults are racist,” I am acknowledging that all white Americans adults have been raised in a segregated and racially unequal society where they have had the power to act on and reinforce their prejudices with little accountability. Much of this racism is so subtle that we, who are white, cannot see it.

For example, recently one of my daughter’s white teachers called my wife to report that Ella was being disrespectful and disruptive in class. As any responsible white parent would do, we accepted her teacher’s description of Ella’s behavior as accurate, made Ella write a note of apology and temporarily took away some of her privileges as punishment. We did not ask Ella if she thought the teacher’s description of her behavior was fair.

That was racist behavior on our part.

We should have known better. While it was certainly possible that Ella’s behavior was disrespectful, we had read enough about racial dynamics to know that - at about Ella’s age - the assertiveness and independence of young black women often comes under attack. They are no longer cute. As women of color, they are becoming threatening. White society has very definite expectations about their behavior and often tries to enforce them. Instead of reserving judgment until we more fully understood any possible racial bias on the teacher’s part, we did what white parents with white children can do – we assumed the teacher’s perspective was unbiased.

As it turned out, when we later discussed this situation with Ella, she acknowledged her behavior had been disrespectful.

However, this does not excuse our racism. Ella is going to spend the rest of her life having white people treat her differently because of the color of her skin. She does not need her parents uncritically justifying and supporting her mistreatment, always assuming that the perspective of the white person in the interaction is unbiased.

Acknowledging our own racism is only part of our responsibility as Ella’s parents. We must also prepare our daughter for a world where all white American adults are racist. Every

single white American adult that she will encounter in life will have some conscious or unconscious bias about her because of the color of her skin. This is true of the “good” white people as well as the “bad” white people. This is true even of those who love her the most – her white parents.

Inevitably, Ella will become aware of this reality. Soon, like all teenagers, she will become adept at identifying our parental hypocrisies. If we want our relationship to our daughter to be rich and deep, we need to make certain that when we say or do things out of our racism, she can understand our behavior as systemic. Our racism is not an intentional act of disrespect.

When she begins to call out our racism, we don’t want her to see our racism as evidence of some deeper animosity toward her. She can freely and openly challenge us. Why? Because we are already convinced of our biases and want to address them.

The second reason we must prepare our daughter for a world where all white American adults are racist is for her self-protection. If she had been raised by black parents, she would have learned this maxim in countless ways – through observation, through story, through experience and through training. She would know that she must always assume racial bias on the part of white people. She cannot afford the assumption that the police officer who has pulled her over will treat her with respect and equity. To do so puts her life at risk.

This knowledge is especially important as a child raised by white parents. We have been able to shield Ella from much of the racism most children of color encounter from their earliest years. She has been raised around white friends and family that have treated her with affection and acceptance. In so doing, we have created false expectations. Reminding her that all white American adults are racist is vital as we send her into the world.

Ironically, when it comes to racism, there will soon be a role reversal in our relationship with our daughter. We have been the teacher and she has been the student. As she becomes an adult and fully experiences what it means to be a black woman in America, she will have much to teach us. Though we expect some of those lessons to be painful, we want her to know that some white American adults are willing to listen and learn. We cannot completely eliminate our racial biases, but we can demonstrate the proper response to such selfawareness - you vigilantly work to diminish and mitigate the impact of your biases on the world.

James Mulholland is fifty-seven year old white man and father of an eleven-year-old black daughter. This post was originally published on his blog, “Note to my White Self,” where he reflects on his latent racism and white privilege. www.notetomywhiteself.wordpress.com

19

Sacred Conversations in Central Ohio

20

Back in 2016, parishioners at St. Philip’s, Columbus, watched a live feed of Presiding Bishop Michael Curry's address at the Trinity Institute, hosted by Trinity, Wall Street in New York City. The theme of the address was “Listening for a Change: Sacred Conversations for Racial Justice.”

In that talk, Presiding Bishop Curry offered several compelling thoughts about racial issues. He assured everyone that living these days requires courage – to strive to be good and remember the racial movement seeks justice, not victory. He encouraged everyone to learn and meditate on the life and teachings of Jesus. In fact, Jesus is the best person in the history of humankind to whom we can turn for information and inspiration.

Presiding Bishop Curry referenced the many stories about Jesus and the disinherited. He also told a true, modern day story about the two neighbors and the chickens.

“A white woman and a black woman were next door neighbors. The white woman raised chickens in her backyard. And every day she would throw the chicken droppings across the fence into her neighbor’s yard.

One day the white woman got very sick.

So the black woman went to her neighbor’s with a gift of beautiful roses she had grown in her backyard garden.

‘How did you grow such wonderful flowers?’ asked the white woman. ‘By fertilizing my garden with the droppings from your backyard,’ explained the black woman.

The black woman had made a choice many years ago about responding to her neighbor’s ungracious daily behavior. She could have gotten angry with the white woman. Instead, she responded with love.”

The Sacred Conversations group at St. Philip’s was started to live into his message. Compelled by the Presiding Bishop’s message, parishioners Pamela Burton and Yvonne Craft reached out to members of St. Stephen's, Columbus. The churches began by reading and discussing the books,

This transformation prepares us to work through the real problems that are the legacy of racial categories.”

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. created a vision of the Beloved Community, as one not without conflict, but where conflicts end with reconciliation of adversaries cooperating together in a spirit of friendship and goodwill. How has the Sacred Conversations group grown toward this vision?

Members have said that stories too painful to tell at first are now shared comfortably because of the deep relationships that have taken root. Another member shared that by looking deeper into ingrained or learned, but unaware, categorizing of other people allows them to combat biases. Other comments include that this group, while tackling difficult topics, is a supportive place where we come together in mutual respect to share, learn and grow. By growing together in community, we receive the strength and courage needed to “go in peace to love and serve the Lord.”

Submitted by Nadya Richardson, Jim Keyes and Dot Yeager, parishioners of St. Mark’s, Columbus.

Waking Up White and Finding Myself in the Story of Race, by Debby Irving, and The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander.

St. Mark’s, Columbus, rector, the Rev. Dr. Paul St. Germain, was thinking that St. Mark’s, too, needed to be involved in racial justice and reconciliation work, and asked parishioner Nadya Richardson to spearhead the effort. St. Philip’s rector, the Rev. Charles Wilson, reached out to St. Mark’s to join the group, which now also includes St. John’s, Worthington, and the First Unitarian Universalist Church, represented by the Rev. Kathleen Fowler.

Sacred Conversations for Racial Justice has an organic approach to its monthly meetings, using a shared leadership model and a discussion topic planned for each meeting.

Conversations often flow outside the specific topic and are encouraged. Venues are rotated to experience each other more fully. Past meetings have screened both the documentary 13th and the film, I Am Not Your Negro.

The group’s most recent gathering in August attracted 41 attendees for a presentation by Professor Joan Ferrante from Northern Kentucky University. According to Dr. Ferrante, the expected outcome of her documentary Mourning the Creation of Racial Categories is to “create art and language that will move audiences to mourn, then to change people’s assumptions about who we are. We believe changing assumptions is the first step toward transforming the way we perceive race and go about interacting with different race-labeled peoples.

Sacred Conversations in Central Ohio

20

Back in 2016, parishioners at St. Philip’s, Columbus, watched a live feed of Presiding Bishop Michael Curry's address at the Trinity Institute, hosted by Trinity, Wall Street in New York City. The theme of the address was “Listening for a Change: Sacred Conversations for Racial Justice.”

In that talk, Presiding Bishop Curry offered several compelling thoughts about racial issues. He assured everyone that living these days requires courage – to strive to be good and remember the racial movement seeks justice, not victory. He encouraged everyone to learn and meditate on the life and teachings of Jesus. In fact, Jesus is the best person in the history of humankind to whom we can turn for information and inspiration.

Presiding Bishop Curry referenced the many stories about Jesus and the disinherited. He also told a true, modern day story about the two neighbors and the chickens.

“A white woman and a black woman were next door neighbors. The white woman raised chickens in her backyard. And every day she would throw the chicken droppings across the fence into her neighbor’s yard.

One day the white woman got very sick.

So the black woman went to her neighbor’s with a gift of beautiful roses she had grown in her backyard garden.

‘How did you grow such wonderful flowers?’ asked the white woman. ‘By fertilizing my garden with the droppings from your backyard,’ explained the black woman.

The black woman had made a choice many years ago about responding to her neighbor’s ungracious daily behavior. She could have gotten angry with the white woman. Instead, she responded with love.”

The Sacred Conversations group at St. Philip’s was started to live into his message. Compelled by the Presiding Bishop’s message, parishioners Pamela Burton and Yvonne Craft reached out to members of St. Stephen's, Columbus. The churches began by reading and discussing the books,

This transformation prepares us to work through the real problems that are the legacy of racial categories.”

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. created a vision of the Beloved Community, as one not without conflict, but where conflicts end with reconciliation of adversaries cooperating together in a spirit of friendship and goodwill. How has the Sacred Conversations group grown toward this vision?

Members have said that stories too painful to tell at first are now shared comfortably because of the deep relationships that have taken root. Another member shared that by looking deeper into ingrained or learned, but unaware, categorizing of other people allows them to combat biases. Other comments include that this group, while tackling difficult topics, is a supportive place where we come together in mutual respect to share, learn and grow. By growing together in community, we receive the strength and courage needed to “go in peace to love and serve the Lord.”

Submitted by Nadya Richardson, Jim Keyes and Dot Yeager, parishioners of St. Mark’s, Columbus.

Waking Up White and Finding Myself in the Story of Race, by Debby Irving, and The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander.

St. Mark’s, Columbus, rector, the Rev. Dr. Paul St. Germain, was thinking that St. Mark’s, too, needed to be involved in racial justice and reconciliation work, and asked parishioner Nadya Richardson to spearhead the effort. St. Philip’s rector, the Rev. Charles Wilson, reached out to St. Mark’s to join the group, which now also includes St. John’s, Worthington, and the First Unitarian Universalist Church, represented by the Rev. Kathleen Fowler.

Sacred Conversations for Racial Justice has an organic approach to its monthly meetings, using a shared leadership model and a discussion topic planned for each meeting.

Conversations often flow outside the specific topic and are encouraged. Venues are rotated to experience each other more fully. Past meetings have screened both the documentary 13th and the film, I Am Not Your Negro.

The group’s most recent gathering in August attracted 41 attendees for a presentation by Professor Joan Ferrante from Northern Kentucky University. According to Dr. Ferrante, the expected outcome of her documentary Mourning the Creation of Racial Categories is to “create art and language that will move audiences to mourn, then to change people’s assumptions about who we are. We believe changing assumptions is the first step toward transforming the way we perceive race and go about interacting with different race-labeled peoples.

DSOBeloved.org Events • Blogs • Formation • Resources • Posters • Bulletin Inserts

DSOBeloved.org Events • Blogs • Formation • Resources • Posters • Bulletin Inserts

Camp builds

BELOVED COMMUNITY

24

Summer Camp at Procter is holy space set apart on sacred ground. Our camp is a place where children, youth and families are invited to and supported in exploring their faith, asking hard questions and building new relationships. This happens through spending time outside, meeting new friends and having goofy fun together.

This summer over 400 campers joined our counselors, chaplains, nurses and staff for a session of camp. Chaplains and counselors led our Christian formation program, with “Grant us Strength and Courage,” serving as the theme. Campers examined the story of the Good Samaritan, Ruth and Naomi’s family bond, the faith of the woman suffering from hemorrhag-

es, the wavering faith of Peter as he stepped out of the boat and Mary’s bravery and surprise visiting the empty tomb.

These stories, among others, served as inspiration for how to walk in faith in the world, name and discuss our fears and draw strength from prophets and saints.

Summer 2018 brought lots of new programs, activities and adventure to Procter! Youth Campers camped out one night each week, cooking their own food over the fire, pitching tents and having group devotions under the stars. Sagrada Familia, a Spanish/English family camp, was offered for the second year and grew from 12 to 60 campers. The Leaders-in-Training program was a beautiful success: high school students applied

to attend a training session and then shadow a counselor during Session 5. The session culminated in the LIT’s leading of a morning formation session and arguably the most fun evening activity of the summer, Procter Prom!

Campers of all ages delighted in swimming in the Procter Lake. Our new boats, an inflatable floating bouncer and waterslide and improved life jackets made it possible for campers to spend lots of time in the water this summer.

For the first time Procter offered Camp RISE, a session specifically focusing on grief care for campers from ages eight to 18. Responding to our call to follow Jesus into our neighborhood, we tailored this session specifically for youth whose family members have died from drug use. Therapists and chaplains joined the counselors this week to create community, process loss, fear, love and anger together. Like every Procter camp, these campers felt the unconditional love and support created here weekly. We plan to offer this session again in 2019.

Many thanks to the Procter staff who serve the diocese through their ministry of hospitality and service, and to all the parents, campers, clergy and community members who support this program. See you next summer!

Andrea Foote serves as Director of Camp and Youth Ministry at the Procter Center. Connect with Andrea at afoote@proctercenter.org.

Save these dates for more fun, faith and fellowship September 29-30: Fall Youth Retreat @ Procter | youth in 6-12 grades Sept 29: Harvest Festival @ Procter | all ages December 15: Cathedral Christmas Gathering @ Christ Church Cathedral, Cincinnati | youth in 6-12 grades December 21-22: Young Adult Retreat @ Procter | all people ages 18-30 Friday, January 4- Sunday, January 6: Winter Family Camp @ Procter | All ages May 3-5: Spring Youth Retreat @ Procter | youth in 6-12 grades May 4: Camp Open House @ Procter | all ages, families, Procter supporters 25

Camp builds

BELOVED COMMUNITY

24

Summer Camp at Procter is holy space set apart on sacred ground. Our camp is a place where children, youth and families are invited to and supported in exploring their faith, asking hard questions and building new relationships. This happens through spending time outside, meeting new friends and having goofy fun together.

This summer over 400 campers joined our counselors, chaplains, nurses and staff for a session of camp. Chaplains and counselors led our Christian formation program, with “Grant us Strength and Courage,” serving as the theme. Campers examined the story of the Good Samaritan, Ruth and Naomi’s family bond, the faith of the woman suffering from hemorrhag-

es, the wavering faith of Peter as he stepped out of the boat and Mary’s bravery and surprise visiting the empty tomb.

These stories, among others, served as inspiration for how to walk in faith in the world, name and discuss our fears and draw strength from prophets and saints.

Summer 2018 brought lots of new programs, activities and adventure to Procter! Youth Campers camped out one night each week, cooking their own food over the fire, pitching tents and having group devotions under the stars. Sagrada Familia, a Spanish/English family camp, was offered for the second year and grew from 12 to 60 campers. The Leaders-in-Training program was a beautiful success: high school students applied

to attend a training session and then shadow a counselor during Session 5. The session culminated in the LIT’s leading of a morning formation session and arguably the most fun evening activity of the summer, Procter Prom!

Campers of all ages delighted in swimming in the Procter Lake. Our new boats, an inflatable floating bouncer and waterslide and improved life jackets made it possible for campers to spend lots of time in the water this summer.

For the first time Procter offered Camp RISE, a session specifically focusing on grief care for campers from ages eight to 18. Responding to our call to follow Jesus into our neighborhood, we tailored this session specifically for youth whose family members have died from drug use. Therapists and chaplains joined the counselors this week to create community, process loss, fear, love and anger together. Like every Procter camp, these campers felt the unconditional love and support created here weekly. We plan to offer this session again in 2019.

Many thanks to the Procter staff who serve the diocese through their ministry of hospitality and service, and to all the parents, campers, clergy and community members who support this program. See you next summer!

Andrea Foote serves as Director of Camp and Youth Ministry at the Procter Center. Connect with Andrea at afoote@proctercenter.org.

Save these dates for more fun, faith and fellowship September 29-30: Fall Youth Retreat @ Procter | youth in 6-12 grades Sept 29: Harvest Festival @ Procter | all ages December 15: Cathedral Christmas Gathering @ Christ Church Cathedral, Cincinnati | youth in 6-12 grades December 21-22: Young Adult Retreat @ Procter | all people ages 18-30 Friday, January 4- Sunday, January 6: Winter Family Camp @ Procter | All ages May 3-5: Spring Youth Retreat @ Procter | youth in 6-12 grades May 4: Camp Open House @ Procter | all ages, families, Procter supporters 25

Building Beloved Community with our Latino neighbors

26

In 2017, the diocese piloted a program for Latino families to church (and the world!) could be like if each of us made a perexperience a traditional weekend family camp at Procter with sonal commitment to being vulnerable and doing our best to special attention given to inclusion of Spanish speakers called build relationships with people who are different from us.

Campamento Sagrada Familia. Twelve parWith a little extra effort to make sure that ticipants from three families from the Latino Spanish-speaking people were included in Campamento Sagrada Familia is Ministry Center in Forest Park came to the announcements and worship and a few very open to all families who would camp. Those few but enthusiastic families had minor tweaks to the schedule, we were able like to experience Family Camp a great experience at Procter. In fact, they had to offer a true experience of Procter’s beloved in a bilingual, multi-ethnic setsuch a great time that through word of mouth Family Camp program to an entirely new ting. Please make plans to sign alone, Campamento Sagrada Familia grew to community of people, and each one of those up for our 2019 camp! If you are serving 60 participants from 13 different famipeople left a little bit changed. God’s love trannot able to attend but would lies in 2018! scends difference. It transcends language and like to sponsor an individual or This incredible growth in just one year anything that would keep us apart from one a family to come, please contact the Rev. Maggie Foote at speaks to the transformative power of setting another. When we remember that God’s love, RevMaggieLMC@gmail.com. aside sacred time to connect with your family, and not our own comfort or preferences, is the whether biological or chosen. Family Camps bedrock of our church, we can have moments are Procter’s most successful camp programs for this very and experiences like Campamento Sagrada Familia, that show reason. Camp director Andrea Foote and I dreamed of being us a taste of God’s reign where there is a place for everyone. able to offer this program to the families of the Latino Ministry Center and other Latino families in our diocese. Campamento The Rev. Maggie Foote is a resident priest at Sagrada Familia would not have been possible without the the Latino Ministry Center in Forest Park and at generosity of Procter Center director Amy Boyd, as well as Ascension and Holy Trinity, Wyoming, and serves the generosity of spirit of the Summer Camp counselors and as the chair of the Latino Ministry Commission Procter Center staff, who opened their hearts to the possibility for the Diocese of Southern Ohio. Connect with of connection across lines of difference.

Maggie at revmaggielmc@gmail.com.

As campers began to arrive on July 6, and the property began to fill with sounds of kids laughing, parents greeting one another with buenas tardes, and countless comments about how beautiful Procter is, I knew that we were about to experience something really special. Together we shared a weekend full of laughter, fun, community, and surprisingly cool weather. Many kids tried swimming in a lake for the first time, there was a competitive adults-only volleyball game, community members got to know one another better and families got to spend intentional time together talking about who they are as a family and what makes their family sacred.

The cafeteria during mealtimes was a cacophony of Spanglish, of people doing their best to communicate with one another despite a language barrier and all the awkwardness that can come along with that. The campers who didn’t speak much English did their best to communicate with the camp staff who didn’t speak much Spanish, and vice versa, and real connections were made. It showed us a glimpse of what the

The trouble with neighbors

Becoming a Beloved Community is probably going to be part of the central formation of this diocese over the next several years. Part of me supports this theme wholeheartedly. The other part of me wonders how we can even be having this conversation in America in 2018. If the "Church" isn't here to be a beloved community, then why even bother? Being a beloved community should be part of our DNA, our essence, and our identity. How is it possible that some of the most segregated places in this country are houses of worship?

We try to practice what has become known as the Great Commandment. When asked what the greatest commandment is, Jesus replied, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’

This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:36-40. NRSV) A version of this appears in all four Gospels.

Just loving our physical neighbors is often difficult enough, but of course, Jesus was talking about much more than just our physical neighbors. Parables like the Good Samaritan make that clear. Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan in response to the question of who is our neighbor. Some of the impact of this story may be lost due to changes in societal norms, but Jesus implied that a Samaritan was a better neighbor than the priest and the Levite who both walked by the wounded man. This would have been equivalent to Jesus landing a metaphorical punch in the gut to the local Jewish leaders and scholars. The Samaritans were hated by the Jewish community, they were thought to be vile and unclean. This parable was radical. Jesus asking the Samaritan woman for water at the well was radical. He was breaking down barriers.

If Jesus showed up in present day America, then who would be the "Samaritan" in his parable? Would it be the Parable of the Good Muslim? The Good Homosexual? The Good Undocumented Immigrant? The Good Homeless Person? He might say it differently to each person he tells it to. He might use whomever you hate and fear the most as the hero of the story.

As some of you know, at our General Convention this past summer in Austin, members of Westboro Baptist were protesting outside one of our services. (See photo below.)

I couldn't help being struck by how much love was inside the hall where Bishop Curry was preaching and how much hatred was outside with the protest. Why does Westboro Baptist hate us so much? Because our circle of neighbors is too large and too inclusive for them. Our circle includes people they feel should be kept out. People who they feel do not deserve to enjoy the love of God and the community of Christians.

What does beloved community mean? It means coming together despite our differences. It means rejoicing in our differences. It means that we need each other. It means that it is the mission of the church to be one body. As Episcopalians, I think many of us already agree with the need to be a beloved community. Hopefully, all of us being focused on it together will help us learn from each other how to become better at it.

David Dreisbach serves as Director of Communications for the Diocese of Southern Ohio.

Contact him at ddreisbach@diosohio.org.

27

THE VISION

GROWS

28

ONE PERSON AT A TIME

I once read a story about a woman named Linda Tarry Chard, who after traveling to South Africa in 1995 and seeing the suffering of children there met with another woman, Diane Steiman, who was trying to collect and distribute 15,000 black dolls for children in the townships, children who had never held a likeness of themselves in their hands because none was available in their country. Within a year, Linda was able to collect all 15,000 dolls and see that they made their way to South Africa, but that dream soon morphed into a

totally different vision.

The Black Doll Project evolved into Project People Foundation, which ended up creating work with a doll factory and women creating black dolls in the townships/ghettos of South Africa for retail sale there as well as export to this country. And in this country they were marketed as a “doll giveaway” – a charitable program where for every $20 donated, the organization buys a doll and gives it away to a child in need. The doll giveaway is happening in countries all over the world, to Ethiopian children in Israel, South African children in the townships, and to needy AfricanAmerican children here.

The program was so successful that Linda decided to replicate it in impoverished areas of the United States, both rural and urban, calling it Crafting Social Change.

One afternoon, Linda was speaking about Project People at Syracuse University. An affluent white woman from Arkansas was on campus visiting her son and heard her.

She was so moved that when she went home she immediately went to purchase a few black dolls to donate.

When she arrived at the cash register, the person at the counter was baffled by her choice and asked if she really wanted them. In her entire life as a consumer, no one had ever asked her such a question before. She went back to her church and shared this story with the women’s group, who as a response, all wanted to go out and buy black dolls.

And what they found out was that there weren’t that many available. As they began questioning why there were so few black dolls and so many white dolls available, they began to look at their lives and their children’s lives. Eventually that woman became the volunteer coordinator for Project People.

And the story goes on, of one person doing one thing, and touching someone else’s life, changing their life, inspiring them to want to do something to create change and the vision grows bigger and grander and more universal. What started out as a project about giving dolls to children in need, becomes a project to end poverty and racism not just in our own country but around the world.

My experience of coming to terms with my own white privilege is much the same. A conversation leads to an invitation. An experience leads to transformation. Relationships with those who are of a different race or background from me, helping to open my eyes to realities I might not know or experience without their generous gift of time and patience pushing me outside of my comfort zone and challenging my world view.

As we have begun dreaming about Becoming Beloved Community in the Diocese of Southern Ohio, I have found myself thinking about the way a vision grows bigger the more people it includes. I first heard about Becoming Beloved Community from my friend Tom Brackett. He told me about meeting Dr. Catherine Meeks, chair of the Beloved Community Commission for Dismantling Racism in the Diocese of Atlanta, and how she was challenging the church to think differently about the racial healing we are called to as followers of Christ. I later had the opportunity to meet Dr. Meeks myself, first at the Absalom Jones Symposium here at Christ Church Cathedral in Cincinnati last year and then later in Atlanta at a church-wide gathering she hosted to discuss racial reconciliation in the church.

Listening to her wisdom makes me sit up a little straighter and dig a little deeper. I am reminded of my baptismal commitment to seek and serve Christ in all persons.

We started this journey just wondering how to expand the anti-racism training in the diocese to reach more people. But as we began to talk to people across the diocese and across the church, the vision grew. We applied for and received a UTO grant to create Beloved Community Centers around the diocese as places of practice and transformation for people seeking experiences of the journey toward beloved community. We then began dreaming about sacred listening circles and cross-racial dialogues. We wondered about formation opportunities to learn more about the way bias works in our lives and how we as a church might learn from the early Christian communities found in Luke and Acts.

And it’s still growing, I am hearing from people across the diocese with ideas for how their church might get involved, about dreams of a shared pilgrimage or neighborhood gatherings all working toward becoming beloved community. The vision grows bigger and we keep striving for the dream of God together. I invite you to share with us how you might work on becoming beloved community in your local context. We would love to hear your stories and your struggles as we journey together.

The Rev. Canon Jane Gersen serves as Missioner for Fresh Expressions and Praxis Communities in the Diocese of Southern Ohio.

Connect with Jane at jgerdsen@diosohio.org.

29

THE VISION

GROWS

28

ONE PERSON AT A TIME

I once read a story about a woman named Linda Tarry Chard, who after traveling to South Africa in 1995 and seeing the suffering of children there met with another woman, Diane Steiman, who was trying to collect and distribute 15,000 black dolls for children in the townships, children who had never held a likeness of themselves in their hands because none was available in their country. Within a year, Linda was able to collect all 15,000 dolls and see that they made their way to South Africa, but that dream soon morphed into a

totally different vision.

The Black Doll Project evolved into Project People Foundation, which ended up creating work with a doll factory and women creating black dolls in the townships/ghettos of South Africa for retail sale there as well as export to this country. And in this country they were marketed as a “doll giveaway” – a charitable program where for every $20 donated, the organization buys a doll and gives it away to a child in need. The doll giveaway is happening in countries all over the world, to Ethiopian children in Israel, South African children in the townships, and to needy AfricanAmerican children here.

The program was so successful that Linda decided to replicate it in impoverished areas of the United States, both rural and urban, calling it Crafting Social Change.

One afternoon, Linda was speaking about Project People at Syracuse University. An affluent white woman from Arkansas was on campus visiting her son and heard her.

She was so moved that when she went home she immediately went to purchase a few black dolls to donate.

When she arrived at the cash register, the person at the counter was baffled by her choice and asked if she really wanted them. In her entire life as a consumer, no one had ever asked her such a question before. She went back to her church and shared this story with the women’s group, who as a response, all wanted to go out and buy black dolls.

And what they found out was that there weren’t that many available. As they began questioning why there were so few black dolls and so many white dolls available, they began to look at their lives and their children’s lives. Eventually that woman became the volunteer coordinator for Project People.

And the story goes on, of one person doing one thing, and touching someone else’s life, changing their life, inspiring them to want to do something to create change and the vision grows bigger and grander and more universal. What started out as a project about giving dolls to children in need, becomes a project to end poverty and racism not just in our own country but around the world.

My experience of coming to terms with my own white privilege is much the same. A conversation leads to an invitation. An experience leads to transformation. Relationships with those who are of a different race or background from me, helping to open my eyes to realities I might not know or experience without their generous gift of time and patience pushing me outside of my comfort zone and challenging my world view.

As we have begun dreaming about Becoming Beloved Community in the Diocese of Southern Ohio, I have found myself thinking about the way a vision grows bigger the more people it includes. I first heard about Becoming Beloved Community from my friend Tom Brackett. He told me about meeting Dr. Catherine Meeks, chair of the Beloved Community Commission for Dismantling Racism in the Diocese of Atlanta, and how she was challenging the church to think differently about the racial healing we are called to as followers of Christ. I later had the opportunity to meet Dr. Meeks myself, first at the Absalom Jones Symposium here at Christ Church Cathedral in Cincinnati last year and then later in Atlanta at a church-wide gathering she hosted to discuss racial reconciliation in the church.

Listening to her wisdom makes me sit up a little straighter and dig a little deeper. I am reminded of my baptismal commitment to seek and serve Christ in all persons.

We started this journey just wondering how to expand the anti-racism training in the diocese to reach more people. But as we began to talk to people across the diocese and across the church, the vision grew. We applied for and received a UTO grant to create Beloved Community Centers around the diocese as places of practice and transformation for people seeking experiences of the journey toward beloved community. We then began dreaming about sacred listening circles and cross-racial dialogues. We wondered about formation opportunities to learn more about the way bias works in our lives and how we as a church might learn from the early Christian communities found in Luke and Acts.

And it’s still growing, I am hearing from people across the diocese with ideas for how their church might get involved, about dreams of a shared pilgrimage or neighborhood gatherings all working toward becoming beloved community. The vision grows bigger and we keep striving for the dream of God together. I invite you to share with us how you might work on becoming beloved community in your local context. We would love to hear your stories and your struggles as we journey together.

The Rev. Canon Jane Gersen serves as Missioner for Fresh Expressions and Praxis Communities in the Diocese of Southern Ohio.

Connect with Jane at jgerdsen@diosohio.org.

29

Becoming Beloved Community & Beloved: Healing from Violence Related Trauma 2018 Women’s Ministries Conference September 22 at Procter Center Diocesan Women’s Ministries and Episcopal Church Women have joined with the Episcopal Church’s commitment to the Becoming Beloved Community initiative and are excited to present, “Becoming Beloved Community & Beloved: Healing from Violence Related Trauma,” as the 2018 Women’s Ministries Conference. This conference is the first event in a series of teachings on the discernment and application of Becoming Beloved Community in our diocese, and will be held on Saturday, September 22 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Procter Center. The conference is not just for women – it’s open to anyone in the diocese.

What is Beloved Community? According to The Way of Love, Practices for a Jesus-Centered Life, Beloved Community is “A community dedicated to the dream of dignity and abundant life for all, where people see themselves and others as beloved children of God,” and “where the good of all is the quest of each” (Clarence Skinner). “It is the body within which we grow to love God, love our neighbors, love ourselves and love creation.”

Although justice is an important component in becoming beloved community, the foundation is Jesus’ Way of Love as revealed in the Jesus Movement. This movement is the ongoing community of people centered on Jesus who follow him into loving, liberating, and life-giving relationship with God, with each other and with the Earth. Centering on Jesus and drawing close to God’s heart gives us the power to change each of our lives and to change the world.

For the Beloved Community Conference, Women’s Ministries/ECW has invited Heidi Kim, a member of the Presiding Bishop’s staff and member of the task force that developed the Becoming Beloved Community initiative, to lead three sessions for the day. As Staff Officer for Racial Reconciliation for The Episcopal Church, Heidi has extensive experience in reconciliation work. She will introduce BBC and its four quadrants and lead two workshops on the application of BBC to our specific contexts.

At the 2017 Women’s Ministries Conference, we learned that most single parent homeless women had experienced situations of domestic violence. To bridge the healing from trauma and move toward reconciliation to Becoming Beloved Community, we have also asked the Rev. Mary Laymon, director of Tikkun Farm in Cincinnati, to share her ministry of reconciliation and restoration at the 2018 conference.

The cost to attend the 2018 Women’s Ministries Conference is $10, and includes lunch and materials. You can register for the conference at diosohio. org. For any further questions, contact Women’s Ministries coordinator Kathy Mank at kathymank@gmail.com.

Kathy Mank serves as the coordinator of Women’s Ministries for the Diocese of Southern Ohio and as the financial secretary for the United Thank Offering Board.

Finding Comfort in Discomfort: A Cross-Racial Dialogue on Race and Racism

Jim Mulholland never thought of himself as racist. He assumed the Civil Rights movement had solved the issue of racism. When he adopted a black daughter, he assumed being her parent would be no different than parenting a white child.

He quickly learned he was wrong.

Mulholland still remembers when he first became aware of systemic racism. It was during a pre-kindergarten school visit when a school principal assumed his four-year-old black daughter was developmentally challenged. On that day, he vicariously experienced the injustice and rage people of color experience continually. It was also the beginning of his obsession with understanding racism within himself and society.

Not since the 1960s have racial tensions in the United States been so obvious for so many. Some deny this; others exploit it. Many are bewildered by it. In the midst of such tension, honest conversations about race and racism become difficult and discomforting.

Unfortunately many of us avoid them. Conversations across racial divides are one way to help us understand and address why a country claiming commitment to human equality and dignity continues to struggle with racism. On November 17, St. Matthew’s, Westerville, and Otterbein University invite people of all races to a day of cross-racial dialogue on race and racism.

The symposium will begin with Mulholland, author of the blog “Note To My White Self,” describing his journey from racist indifference to racist awareness. His talk will be followed by a frank discussion with Cherie Bridges Patrick, a social/racial justice coach and facilitator and member of St. Matthew’s, on the challenges to racial healing. Those attending will be invited to actively participate in the conversation and explore ways to move us beyond conversations.

Attendees will then have their choice of two awarenessexpanding workshops. Mulholland will lead a workshop, “The Reasonableness of Reparations,” designed to help white people understand the cost of slavery and racial discrimination (limited to 50 participants). Concurrently, local Westerville pastor Vaughn Bell and Dr. Margaret Koehler, Professor of English at Otterbein University, will co-facilitate a workshop, “Who Do We Want in Our Community: Implicit and Explicit Bias in Westerville.” The day’s event will close with a discussion of

both personal and corporate next steps.

Students are welcome to attend at no cost. For non-students, the suggested donation is $25 for each session (morning and an afternoon workshop) or $40 for both morning and afternoon sessions. Additional donations to the MLK Legacy Project are also welcomed. Registration is available at https://diosohio.org.

31

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, We will begin a second diocesan Big Read on the First Sunday of Advent, December 2nd, 2018, and ending on Pentecost, June 9, 2019. During these months we will read the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles together. This Big Read is part of our larger formation theme for the coming year, Becoming Beloved Community.

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry has asked us, “as congregations and individuals who are together the Episcopal Church of the Jesus Movement, to “intentionally, purposely, and liturgically rededicate ourselves to the way of Jesus, the work of racial reconciliation, the work of healing and dismantling everything that wounds and divides us, the work of becoming God’s Beloved Community.” Reading the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles will help us to further this work through study, and many other initiatives of the diocese will help us to further this work through acts of justice and mercy.

The church is in a period of profound change as we find ourselves engaged in an exodus from the power and privilege that we once enjoyed at the center of American society. We could spend our days fighting against our loss of privilege, or we could learn to surrender it gracefully, knowing, as people of the cross, that we are guaranteed a startling and unexpected resurrection.

In the days after Jesus’s own resurrection and ascension, the leaders of the nascent church found themselves asking some deeply important questions. How could they cultivate a community that would remain true to Jesus’s teaching? How would they negotiate their interactions with the cultures that surrounded them, many of which seemed very hostile? How would they further the Christian formation of catachumates and the newly baptized, and help them to set aside all of the old cultural presumptions so that they could be new people living a new faith?

Our next Big Read

The apostles struggled with these questions, sometimes answering them well and sometimes answering them poorly. In this moment, we find ourselves asking the same questions, and we look to the guidance of the early church. We don’t ask the early church to answer these questions for us, but we do ask our forerunners to model how to ask these questions well.

As with our Big Read of the Book of Exodus in 2017-2018, we hope that every individual will read Luke/Acts and at least one supplementary book to help with understanding. We hope encourage every congregation to hold at least three adult forums about these scriptures. And we ask that fifteen minutes will be set aside for the study of Luke or Acts every time a vestry, committee or commission meets.

Please join us as we strive to Become Beloved Community in the diocese, in our individual congregations, and in our personal relationships.

Blessings, +Bishop Thomas E. Breidenthal

"Jesus and the two disciples on the road to Emmaus," Karl Stevens, 2018.

33

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, We will begin a second diocesan Big Read on the First Sunday of Advent, December 2nd, 2018, and ending on Pentecost, June 9, 2019. During these months we will read the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles together. This Big Read is part of our larger formation theme for the coming year, Becoming Beloved Community.

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry has asked us, “as congregations and individuals who are together the Episcopal Church of the Jesus Movement, to “intentionally, purposely, and liturgically rededicate ourselves to the way of Jesus, the work of racial reconciliation, the work of healing and dismantling everything that wounds and divides us, the work of becoming God’s Beloved Community.” Reading the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles will help us to further this work through study, and many other initiatives of the diocese will help us to further this work through acts of justice and mercy.

The church is in a period of profound change as we find ourselves engaged in an exodus from the power and privilege that we once enjoyed at the center of American society. We could spend our days fighting against our loss of privilege, or we could learn to surrender it gracefully, knowing, as people of the cross, that we are guaranteed a startling and unexpected resurrection.

In the days after Jesus’s own resurrection and ascension, the leaders of the nascent church found themselves asking some deeply important questions. How could they cultivate a community that would remain true to Jesus’s teaching? How would they negotiate their interactions with the cultures that surrounded them, many of which seemed very hostile? How would they further the Christian formation of catachumates and the newly baptized, and help them to set aside all of the old cultural presumptions so that they could be new people living a new faith?

Our next Big Read

The apostles struggled with these questions, sometimes answering them well and sometimes answering them poorly. In this moment, we find ourselves asking the same questions, and we look to the guidance of the early church. We don’t ask the early church to answer these questions for us, but we do ask our forerunners to model how to ask these questions well.

As with our Big Read of the Book of Exodus in 2017-2018, we hope that every individual will read Luke/Acts and at least one supplementary book to help with understanding. We hope encourage every congregation to hold at least three adult forums about these scriptures. And we ask that fifteen minutes will be set aside for the study of Luke or Acts every time a vestry, committee or commission meets.

Please join us as we strive to Become Beloved Community in the diocese, in our individual congregations, and in our personal relationships.

Blessings, +Bishop Thomas E. Breidenthal

"Jesus and the two disciples on the road to Emmaus," Karl Stevens, 2018.

33

LUKE AND ACTS and the Beloved Community

34

An angel appears to shepherds in a field and declares, “I bring you tidings of great joy!” A woman washes Jesus’ feet with her tears and he forgives her for all her past sins. A widow appears before an unjust judge every day, faithfully believing that he will give her justice. And Jesus himself climbs mountains, enters gardens, boards boats and disappears into the wilderness again and again to pray.

In the Gospel of Luke, Christian spirituality centers on joy, conversion and repentance, faithfulness, and prayer. And we will read the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles together as a diocese from this coming Advent until Pentecost, because the work of reconciliation and love that we’re undertaking as we work towards Becoming the Beloved Community requires a spiritual revolution within ourselves, a process of profound conversion that will help us set aside the fear and joylessness that keeps us from entering into loving fellowship with each other.

I was recently part of a youth service trip, and every evening the counselors would ask the kids where they had experienced joy that day. Many of the kids told stories about falling off of ladders or getting accidentally locked in vans – stories that were either funny or embarrassing, but maybe not truly joyful.

It left me wondering whether we have much of an understanding of joy.

In evangelical circles, the point has been stressed and stressed again that joy is not happiness. Some current evangelical thinkers push back against that, and I agree with them, because I think that joy can certainly include happiness. But it’s also more than happiness. As we read, we should try to come to some sense of what joy is, even if we can never create a concrete definition of something so powerful and ephemeral.

As we practice a spirituality of joy together as a diocese, we’ll have more and more stories to tell of what joy feels like, and the way that it loosens us up and allows us to experience the blessing of relationship from everyone we meet.

Conversion and repentance seem easier to define. Die to the old life and be born to the new. But there is rarely a very strict division between the old and the new. Does Luke’s Gospel require one? Sometimes it feels like it does, and sometimes it feels more lenient.

When we get glimpses of God at work in the world, it seems natural that one response would be to try to increase our capacity for sight by cultivating practices of mindfulness and awareness. But there are days when we won’t be able to, when we just want to put our blinders on and return to a life that felt comfortable, even if it was somewhat gray and lacking in

breathtaking glimpses of the divine. It’s on those days, particularly, when we need our communities to challenge and awaken us, and this capacity for challenge is part of what makes a community beloved.

Cultivating awareness will lead us to see things that we haven’t wanted to see – injustices and cruelties that we’ve participated in without realizing it. Teresa of Avila talks about the “wound of compassion,” and this is what she means. As we see more, and feel our compassion grow with our conversion, we will be wounded by it. Beloved Community will help us salve the wounds and tend our spiritual bodies so that we’re not afraid to remain in the hurtful mess of the world while striving to change it.

Persevering in a joyful awareness of God, and in the wounds of compassion that are inflicted by that awareness, might be the very nature of faith. When we say we believe something, we are really saying that we give our hearts to it, that we love it as much as our families, our lifestyles and ourselves, if not more. It seems simple and natural, but we all know that it isn’t. Our capacity for distraction is pretty high, as is our capacity for anxiety, worry and fear. Faith is an active practice, a decision to constantly remind ourselves to look and rejoice.

Finally, prayer is the preeminent way of looking. We hope to see the world through God’s eyes, to love each other and ourselves with God’s compassion, and to welcome each other with God’s hospitality. To follow Jesus’ example in prayer is to align ourselves with the divine.

These, then, are the spiritual practices that are taught by Luke/Acts. Cultivate joy and awareness. When we fail, ask for forgiveness and try again. Remain faithful in our efforts and give ourselves wholly to this new way of being. Pray ceaselessly, with our hearts and minds always open to the divine in the world around us. As we read together, we will find many instances of these practices, and, like the people whom we’re reading about, they will shape and change us. The end goal of these books, and of our study of them, is Beloved Community.

May we be blessed in our efforts as we seek to find our place within it.

The Rev. Karl Stevens is an artist, priest and spiritual director who serves as the director of children and youth formation at St. John’s, Worthington, and as the convener of the diocesan Big Read Task Force. Connect with Karl at kpbstevens@gmail.com.

144TH CONVENTION

PREVIEW IMPORTANT DATES/ DEADLINES SEPTEMBER 19 28

Deadline for resolutions Deadline for nominations (to be posted online prior to pre-convention meetings)

OCTOBER

Becoming

Beloved

Community

1 Pre-registration closes 2 Deadline for accommodations 7 Pre-convention meeting at

St. James, Zanesville, 2 p.m.

15 Deadline for Commission/

Committee/Task Force annual reports 16 Pre-convention meeting at

Christ Church, Glendale, 7 p.m.

21 Pre-convention meeting at

St. Philip’s, Columbus, 2 p.m.

28 Pre-convention meeting at

St. Paul’s, Dayton, 2 p.m.

31 Absolute deadline for all nominations 31 Necrology deadline

The 144th annual convention of the Diocese of Southern Ohio will be held November 3 at the Procter Center from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Here is the important information you need to know to prepare for the convention.

NOVEMBER

REGISTRATION

2

3

Early check-in and late registration, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Pre-convention dinner and party (optional) 6:30 to 10 p.m.

Onsite check-in and late registration opens at 7 a.m.

There is no cost to attend convention, but pre-registration is required for anyone wishing to attend. Online preregistration will remain open until October 1. Anyone not registered by the October 1 deadline will need to register the day of the event. (Pro tip: Avoid long lines, pre-register by the deadline!)

35

CERTIFY YOUR LAY DELEGATES

Congregations are canonically required (see Canon III, Section 5) to certify the election of their Lay Delegates as soon as possible after they have been chosen at your annual meeting. This information is now reported on the Annual Reporting Form. If your congregation has not yet reported your election, you can submit the Annual Reporting Form on the diocesan website, diosohio.org. If your lay delegates have changed since they were reported, you must complete a Change of Delegate form, which can be found at dsoconvention.org.

RESOLUTIONS

Proposed resolutions can be submitted at dsoconvention.org and must be received by Sept. 19. Those submitting resolutions are expected to attend (or have a representative present) at all pre-convention hearings. Contact resolutions committee chair Jim Heathcote at 937.446.2108 or jheathcote@earthlink.net with questions.

NOMINATIONS

There are several elected positions for which we seek nominees. Please consider submitting your name for one of the positions to be elected at the 144th Convention.

A list and description of the positions is available at our convention website dsoconvention.org. A reminder: The deadline for nominations that will be posted online prior to the preconvention meetings is September 28. Nominations received thereafter will be posted online weekly. No nominations will be accepted after October 31. Direct any questions to Jon B. Boss at jbboss@fuse.net or 513.761.2630.

ACCOMMODATIONS

Becoming

Beloved

Community

PRE-CONVENTION HEARINGS

Convention delegates are strongly encouraged to attend a hearing in order to make informed decisions when voting at convention. Mark your calendar now for the date of the meeting in your area.

NECROLOGY

The necrology is a list of people from each congregation that have died since the last convention. Submit these names to Sherri Martin at smartin@diosohio.org by Oct 31. If you have questions, contact Sherri at 800.582.1712 ext. 105.

EXHIBITOR INFORMATION

As a courtesy and for convenience for those who want to come to Procter Center the evening before convention, (Friday, November 2) the diocese is holding a limited number of rooms at Procter Center and at nearby hotels. All rooms are on hold until Tuesday, October 2. Any rooms not reserved by that date will be released for general sale at prevailing market rates.

Procter Center To book a room at the Procter Center, contact Robin Kimbler, Guest Services Manager, at 740.206.2036.

Conference Center Rooms (11 rooms available) Individual registrations ONLY on a first come, first served basis Churches MAY NOT register their entire delegation in the Conference Center rooms $80 per person per night for single occupancy $50 per person per night for double occupancy Cabins (5 cabins available) $500 per cabin Occupancy up to 12 people per cabin Churches MAY register their entire delegation for a cabin Hotel accommodations A list of nearby hotels with rooms held can be found on the convention website, dsoconvention.org. To reserve a room at any of the hotels, please call the hotel phone number, ask for reservations, and identify yourself as a member of Diocese of Southern Ohio group. All charges are your responsibility; the rooms are only on hold and must be secured with your personal credit card for completing the reservation. The maximum number of hotel rooms each hotel is holding is 25 and reservations are on a first come, first served basis.

Part marketplace, part ministry fair, the exhibits are one of the best parts of convention! Consider sharing your ministry in an exhibit at the convention. The cost for an exhibit is $25 per table, with an additional $25 if you require electricity. (Plan to bring your own power strips and extension cords.) Registration ends October 1 or when all spots have been filled. Register at dsoconvention.org.

CHECK-IN

Early check-in will be available Friday evening from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. for anyone planning to attend the optional preconvention dinner and party at Procter. On the morning of convention, early check-in and late registration will be available beginning at 7 a.m.

MEALS

A continental breakfast will be provided at Procter Center before convention begins. Box lunches are available for purchase for $25 with your convention registration. If you register for a lunch, a meal token will be provided. If you do not pre-register for a lunch, you will be responsible for bringing your own. NO EXTRA MEALS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT PROCTER THE DAY OF THE CONVENTION.

PARKING

Parking at the Procter Center will be at a premium. Please plan to carpool with other members of your delegation if at all possible.

CERTIFY YOUR LAY DELEGATES

Congregations are canonically required (see Canon III, Section 5) to certify the election of their Lay Delegates as soon as possible after they have been chosen at your annual meeting. This information is now reported on the Annual Reporting Form. If your congregation has not yet reported your election, you can submit the Annual Reporting Form on the diocesan website, diosohio.org. If your lay delegates have changed since they were reported, you must complete a Change of Delegate form, which can be found at dsoconvention.org.

RESOLUTIONS

Proposed resolutions can be submitted at dsoconvention.org and must be received by Sept. 19. Those submitting resolutions are expected to attend (or have a representative present) at all pre-convention hearings. Contact resolutions committee chair Jim Heathcote at 937.446.2108 or jheathcote@earthlink.net with questions.

NOMINATIONS

There are several elected positions for which we seek nominees. Please consider submitting your name for one of the positions to be elected at the 144th Convention.

A list and description of the positions is available at our convention website dsoconvention.org. A reminder: The deadline for nominations that will be posted online prior to the preconvention meetings is September 28. Nominations received thereafter will be posted online weekly. No nominations will be accepted after October 31. Direct any questions to Jon B. Boss at jbboss@fuse.net or 513.761.2630.

ACCOMMODATIONS

Becoming

Beloved

Community

PRE-CONVENTION HEARINGS

Convention delegates are strongly encouraged to attend a hearing in order to make informed decisions when voting at convention. Mark your calendar now for the date of the meeting in your area.

NECROLOGY

The necrology is a list of people from each congregation that have died since the last convention. Submit these names to Sherri Martin at smartin@diosohio.org by Oct 31. If you have questions, contact Sherri at 800.582.1712 ext. 105.

EXHIBITOR INFORMATION

As a courtesy and for convenience for those who want to come to Procter Center the evening before convention, (Friday, November 2) the diocese is holding a limited number of rooms at Procter Center and at nearby hotels. All rooms are on hold until Tuesday, October 2. Any rooms not reserved by that date will be released for general sale at prevailing market rates.

Procter Center To book a room at the Procter Center, contact Robin Kimbler, Guest Services Manager, at 740.206.2036.

Conference Center Rooms (11 rooms available) Individual registrations ONLY on a first come, first served basis Churches MAY NOT register their entire delegation in the Conference Center rooms $80 per person per night for single occupancy $50 per person per night for double occupancy Cabins (5 cabins available) $500 per cabin Occupancy up to 12 people per cabin Churches MAY register their entire delegation for a cabin Hotel accommodations A list of nearby hotels with rooms held can be found on the convention website, dsoconvention.org. To reserve a room at any of the hotels, please call the hotel phone number, ask for reservations, and identify yourself as a member of Diocese of Southern Ohio group. All charges are your responsibility; the rooms are only on hold and must be secured with your personal credit card for completing the reservation. The maximum number of hotel rooms each hotel is holding is 25 and reservations are on a first come, first served basis.

Part marketplace, part ministry fair, the exhibits are one of the best parts of convention! Consider sharing your ministry in an exhibit at the convention. The cost for an exhibit is $25 per table, with an additional $25 if you require electricity. (Plan to bring your own power strips and extension cords.) Registration ends October 1 or when all spots have been filled. Register at dsoconvention.org.

CHECK-IN

Early check-in will be available Friday evening from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. for anyone planning to attend the optional preconvention dinner and party at Procter. On the morning of convention, early check-in and late registration will be available beginning at 7 a.m.

MEALS

A continental breakfast will be provided at Procter Center before convention begins. Box lunches are available for purchase for $25 with your convention registration. If you register for a lunch, a meal token will be provided. If you do not pre-register for a lunch, you will be responsible for bringing your own. NO EXTRA MEALS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT PROCTER THE DAY OF THE CONVENTION.

PARKING

Parking at the Procter Center will be at a premium. Please plan to carpool with other members of your delegation if at all possible.

CONNECTING NEW BOOK PUBLISHED

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The Rev. Dr. Calvin Lane, Associate Rector at St. George’s, Dayton and Affiliate Professor of Church History at Nashotah House Theological Seminary, has just published a book, Spirituality and Reform: Christianity in the West, ca.

1000-1800 (Lexington / Fortress).

Spirituality and Reform is a broad study of the intersection of reform movements and everyday Christian practice ranging from the Gregorian Reform to the Pietists. It transgresses the traditional historiographical borders, insists on the necessity of having cultural history and intellectual history in conversation, and assumes a certain messiness to religious change and identity. The thread in the narrative is the rhetoric of primitivism, the relentless search for apostolic authenticity / reform as retrieval.

The author is offering those in the diocese a 30% discount on the book. You can order the book at https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781978703933/Spirituality-and-Reform-Christianity-in-the-West-ca.1000%E2%80%931800#

make a joyful noise DIOCESE OF SOUTHERN OHIO

COMMISSION ON LITURGY & MUSIC This fall, in five locations around the diocese (one in your neighborhood!), the diocesan Commission on Liturgy & Music invites Episcopalians to come together to enjoy the music of our church.

The day will begin with the singing of beloved hymns from The Hymnal 1982; Wonder, Love & Praise; and Lift Every Voice and Sing. When you register for any of the events, you’ll be asked to name a few favorite hymns for leaders to try to include. While many assume our hymns should be accompanied by an organ or other keyboard instrument, a number of other instruments can also be used; anyone who is willing to bring a nonkeyboard instrument is encouraged to contact the music leader or to indicate that interest when they register.

These events are FREE, and lunch will be provided. After lunch, we’ll explore many musical possibilities for Morning Prayer and Evensong. The day will close with a brief Evensong.

Registration is available on the diocesan website, diosohio.org. All are welcome, but please register for each session by the date listed below, if possible, so we know how many lunches will be needed.

Please plan to arrive and get settled between 9:30 and 10 a.m. Each program will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, contact Marsha Reilly at mareilly1@columbus.rr.com.

Location Date Registration deadline St. James, Clintonville Trinity, Newark St. Pau'ls, Dayton Indian Hill Church OR St. Peter's, Gallipolis

Saturday, September 29 Saturday, October 6 Saturday, October 20

Sept. 17 Sept. 24 Oct. 8

Saturday, October 27

Oct. 15

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International Fair Trade Sale at Church of the Redeemer The second annual International Fair Trade Sale will be held at the Church of the Redeemer, Hyde Park, on Friday, September 28 from 4 to 8 p.m. and Saturday, September 29 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The church is located at 2944 Erie Ave., corner of Erie and Paxton.

By purchasing unique, handcrafted fair-trade items, shoppers can help lift people out of poverty around the globe. One of last year’s visitors described the event as “… so much fun! So many beautiful treasures from all over the world.”

The International Fair Trade Sale features hundreds of products made by artisans from Asia, Africa, South America and Central America who are paid a fair wage for their work. The variety of vendors includes: Alpacas of the Covenant, Peru; Amani Ya Juu, Kenya; Bead for Life, East Africa; Cascabel Collective, Nicaragua; Censudi, Ghana; Flutemaker Ministries, Nicaragua; India Designs, India; It’s Only Fair, International; JOYN, India; Kenyan Wood, Kenya; Silk Road Textiles, International; Ten Thousand Villages, International; Village Artisan, India.

These volunteers and vendors represent Fair Trade and Direct Trade organizations throughout the developing world. Fair Trade empowers people through fair wages, education and a healthy work environment. Fair Trade is an independent, third party certification organization working in partnership with more than 1.5 million producers in developing countries. Its mission is to secure decent working conditions, fair prices, and better terms of trade.

Goods are exchanged based on principles of economic and social justice.

Every person involved in production is treated fairly. In addition to a fair wage, workers have access to clean, safe facilities and health care. Fair Trade protects and supports local communities where products are made and helps them become sustainable. Fair Trade upholds children’s rights to security, education and play; child labor is never used in production. It also enhances and improves the lives of artisans and empowers women and the disadvantaged.

Some proceeds from the event will benefit El Hogar Projects, four Episcopal schools that serve impoverished children in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

For more information, please contact Missy Darling at missy@redeemercincy.org and "like" the Hyde Park Fair Trade Sale Facebook page.

Submitted by Christine Andrew, Church of the Redeemer, Hyde Park (Cincinnati)

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Above: Telephone wire baskets from South Africa.

At right: Beautiful housewares from around the world. Photos by Krista DeVaul

Listening to Our Lives October 13, 9 a.m.

Procter Center How do you discern what God is calling you to do?

We don’t mean the “little decisions” in life, those choices that may take time but are likely not of spiritual consequence. (Do I buy a Toyota or a Chevy?) We don’t mean trying to figure out your spiritual gifts and so what lay ministry is best for you. (Do I help with the Parish Newsletter or become a Lay Reader?) Such questions are important but perhaps secondary to the bigger questions in life. What we mean is: how do we, as lay people, learn to listen for the Divine Desire in our lives and then respond?

Admit it, you’ve wondered, “What is God calling me to do?” It’s a big question – one of the biggest we ever face – and it’s difficult to know where to start. If you’re curious to learn more, please join the Commission on Ministry for a daylong workshop on Lay Discernment called Listening to Our Lives. It will be held Saturday, October 13, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Procter Center.

It will be a fun and thoughtful day of Bible study, small group discussions and activities to help you think differently about your journey of faith. We will give you tools to get you started – and the support of a like-minded community to help you on your way.

Space is limited to 50 people, so please register now. You can register online on the diocesan website, diosohio.org, or by contacting Sherri Martin at the diocesan office at smartin@diosohio.org or 513.421.0311 ext. 105. The registration fee is $25 per person to help offset the cost of food and supplies. Scholarships are available. Also, if traveling to Procter for a 9 a.m. start is a challenge for you, we can also help you with arrangements to spend Friday night at Procter.

If you have questions please do not hesitate to contact Spencer Pugh, chair of the diocesan Commission on Ministry at spencerpugh@twc.com.

Update on the 2018 Glean and Share project

it. I also enjoyed using the washing tub on some of the chard, and seeing the processing operation at Bahr Farm. Farmer Stephen's bare feet were a great reminder of the importance of our contact with the earth in so many ways. I used to walk all over my neighborhood, barefoot. Not the same as working on soil, but I loved it, nonetheless!”

“Farming has a natural spirituality. As a farmer, one witnesses the dependence on rain and sunshine. There is a diminishing presence in farming in our country and people are losing connection to where their food comes from and caring for our earth. It was delightful, like a breath of fresh air (God presence) to see the Bahr Farm in the midst of College Hill. Someone had to plant (gratitude) … many hands coming together can accomplish a lot, even if it is just one hour of time. This was ironic that the hymn at our church on Sunday (after gleaning) was “God’s whose farm is all of creation.”

JULY 2018

JUNE 2018

Two Glean and Share training events were held in the early morning on two Saturdays in June. Nine gleaners gathered a total harvest of 300 pounds of mostly swiss chard and a little kale at the Our Harvest Cooperative at Bahr Farm in College Hill.

The Glean team harvested, washed and delivered the fresh chard and kale to eight destinations in five communities in greater Cincinnati. Recipients included St. Pius Place in South Cumminsville, Church of Our Savior in Mt Auburn, Open Door Ministries in Walnut Hills and two locations of Shelterhouse.

Our Harvest lead farmer Stephen Dienger was appreciative of the gleaning of slightly flawed chard leaves that had been damaged by heavy rains. Removal of these “perimeter” leaves paved the way for the chard plant to grow new leaves within a week for the Harvest Box CSA and other customers.

42 Here are just a few of the thoughts from the gleaners

“I thoroughly enjoyed getting to see a real operating farm in action and to be a part of the process. We also got to meet new people and have interesting conversations about what efforts we're making in Walnut Hills to address being a food desert and how we're trying to reduce food insecurity.”

“I was amazed by the beautiful plants from which we were invited to glean -- the Swiss chard was vibrant, incredibly fresh, and surely delicious to eat. And it seemed that not only were we able to help feed a lot of people … it seems we were able to provide a helpful service to Stephen and Our Harvest by removing the Swiss chard that they wouldn't be able to sell and the outlier leaves which then prepared those plants to grow more heartily …”

“It was fun to be a part of this! The chard was a fairly easy thing to harvest, and it wasn't too terribly hot, yet, when we did

A beautiful blueberry connection was made to the project by Glean team member and farmer advocate Mary Hutten. Thanks to Mary, two additional Glean and Share events were held in the early morning on July 13 and 14.

Seven gleaners harvested a total of 42 pounds of ripe blueberries at the Bee Haven Farm in New Richmond. Property owners Samantha and Scott Gordon welcomed gleaners with open arms and loving hearts. We learned about bees, birds, blueberries, buckets and nets.

Friday's gleaners talked about food deserts, food justice, the impact of trauma on children and food as medicine. We reflected on “low hanging fruit” and making the world a better place. Friday's blueberries were shared with the food pantry at Goshen United Methodist Church, a Goshen based assisted living facility and the LIFE Food Pantry at Prince of Peace Church in Loveland.

The executive director of the LIFE Food Pantry told us, "The berries were all gone immediately – EVERYONE wanted them. The volunteers sampled and declared them "luscious" (including me!), and we heard excited conversation from clients regarding muffins, pancakes, pies, fruit salad, and one very realistic woman that said she'd love to make them into something but they wouldn't last long enough around her family to get to the kitchen, much less in the oven! We are so very grateful for the blessing of fresh fruit."

Saturday's gleaners discussed experiences working with school children and the many challenges they face and techniques to teach children to deal with stress and trauma, such as meditation and nature therapy. The takeaway message from the day was simple – let us find a way to treat one another with kindness. Saturday's blueberries were shared with

Queen City Kitchen and the Mercy Neighborhood food pantry in Walnut Hills.

NEXT UP – SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2018

We will glean and share tomatoes near the end of the 2018 tomato harvest at the Bahr Farm. We also hope to glean and share apples from a local fruit farm in the fall.

If interested in learning more please contact Brian Shircliff at vitalitycincinnati@gmail.com or Mike Eck at miketeck@ gmail.com The goals of the Glean and Share pilot project are to feed hungry people, reduce food waste and establish a chapter of the Society of St. Andrew in southwest Ohio to support and sustain gleaning in 2019 and beyond. Everything else that happens is icing on the cake by the grace of God. Mike Eck is a Food Justice Advocate and is actively involved in the local organic food movement in southwest Ohio. He and his wife, Denise, are members of Christ Church, Glendale.

43

Update on the 2018 Glean and Share project

it. I also enjoyed using the washing tub on some of the chard, and seeing the processing operation at Bahr Farm. Farmer Stephen's bare feet were a great reminder of the importance of our contact with the earth in so many ways. I used to walk all over my neighborhood, barefoot. Not the same as working on soil, but I loved it, nonetheless!”

“Farming has a natural spirituality. As a farmer, one witnesses the dependence on rain and sunshine. There is a diminishing presence in farming in our country and people are losing connection to where their food comes from and caring for our earth. It was delightful, like a breath of fresh air (God presence) to see the Bahr Farm in the midst of College Hill. Someone had to plant (gratitude) … many hands coming together can accomplish a lot, even if it is just one hour of time. This was ironic that the hymn at our church on Sunday (after gleaning) was “God’s whose farm is all of creation.”

JULY 2018

JUNE 2018

Two Glean and Share training events were held in the early morning on two Saturdays in June. Nine gleaners gathered a total harvest of 300 pounds of mostly swiss chard and a little kale at the Our Harvest Cooperative at Bahr Farm in College Hill.

The Glean team harvested, washed and delivered the fresh chard and kale to eight destinations in five communities in greater Cincinnati. Recipients included St. Pius Place in South Cumminsville, Church of Our Savior in Mt Auburn, Open Door Ministries in Walnut Hills and two locations of Shelterhouse.

Our Harvest lead farmer Stephen Dienger was appreciative of the gleaning of slightly flawed chard leaves that had been damaged by heavy rains. Removal of these “perimeter” leaves paved the way for the chard plant to grow new leaves within a week for the Harvest Box CSA and other customers.

42 Here are just a few of the thoughts from the gleaners

“I thoroughly enjoyed getting to see a real operating farm in action and to be a part of the process. We also got to meet new people and have interesting conversations about what efforts we're making in Walnut Hills to address being a food desert and how we're trying to reduce food insecurity.”

“I was amazed by the beautiful plants from which we were invited to glean -- the Swiss chard was vibrant, incredibly fresh, and surely delicious to eat. And it seemed that not only were we able to help feed a lot of people … it seems we were able to provide a helpful service to Stephen and Our Harvest by removing the Swiss chard that they wouldn't be able to sell and the outlier leaves which then prepared those plants to grow more heartily …”

“It was fun to be a part of this! The chard was a fairly easy thing to harvest, and it wasn't too terribly hot, yet, when we did

A beautiful blueberry connection was made to the project by Glean team member and farmer advocate Mary Hutten. Thanks to Mary, two additional Glean and Share events were held in the early morning on July 13 and 14.

Seven gleaners harvested a total of 42 pounds of ripe blueberries at the Bee Haven Farm in New Richmond. Property owners Samantha and Scott Gordon welcomed gleaners with open arms and loving hearts. We learned about bees, birds, blueberries, buckets and nets.

Friday's gleaners talked about food deserts, food justice, the impact of trauma on children and food as medicine. We reflected on “low hanging fruit” and making the world a better place. Friday's blueberries were shared with the food pantry at Goshen United Methodist Church, a Goshen based assisted living facility and the LIFE Food Pantry at Prince of Peace Church in Loveland.

The executive director of the LIFE Food Pantry told us, "The berries were all gone immediately – EVERYONE wanted them. The volunteers sampled and declared them "luscious" (including me!), and we heard excited conversation from clients regarding muffins, pancakes, pies, fruit salad, and one very realistic woman that said she'd love to make them into something but they wouldn't last long enough around her family to get to the kitchen, much less in the oven! We are so very grateful for the blessing of fresh fruit."

Saturday's gleaners discussed experiences working with school children and the many challenges they face and techniques to teach children to deal with stress and trauma, such as meditation and nature therapy. The takeaway message from the day was simple – let us find a way to treat one another with kindness. Saturday's blueberries were shared with

Queen City Kitchen and the Mercy Neighborhood food pantry in Walnut Hills.

NEXT UP – SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2018

We will glean and share tomatoes near the end of the 2018 tomato harvest at the Bahr Farm. We also hope to glean and share apples from a local fruit farm in the fall.

If interested in learning more please contact Brian Shircliff at vitalitycincinnati@gmail.com or Mike Eck at miketeck@ gmail.com The goals of the Glean and Share pilot project are to feed hungry people, reduce food waste and establish a chapter of the Society of St. Andrew in southwest Ohio to support and sustain gleaning in 2019 and beyond. Everything else that happens is icing on the cake by the grace of God. Mike Eck is a Food Justice Advocate and is actively involved in the local organic food movement in southwest Ohio. He and his wife, Denise, are members of Christ Church, Glendale.

43

CONNECTIONS

The official publication of the Diocese of Southern Ohio www.diosohio.org

The Rt. Rev. Thomas E. Breidenthal, Publisher David Dreisbach, Art director Julie Murray, Editor Amy Svihlik, Designer Dave Caudill, Copy editor

Submissions: Connections encourages the submission of articles and pictures. We reserve the right to edit material offered for publication. All submissions must include name, phone and email address for verification.

Send submissions to communication@diosohio.org.

Next deadline: October 1

Connections (USPS 020933) is published bi-monthly by the Diocese of Southern Ohio, 412 Sycamore St., Cincinnati, OH 45202-4179. Periodical postage paid at Cincinnati, OH. This publication is sent to all members of Episcopal congregations in the Diocese of Southern Ohio and is funded by mission share payments to the diocesan operating budget. Other subscriptions are $10 annually.

32 44

POSTMASTER: Send changes of address to Connections, 412 Sycamore St., Cincinnati, OH 45202-4179.

We are a people of connection. We kneel around the same table regardless of color, creed, gender, race or sexual orientation.

Connections is a publication of the Diocese of

Southern Ohio, designed to enhance these connections and help foster new ones – because we are continually looking for ways to widen our circle.

dsoConnections.org