Adult Faith Formation: On Racism (November 1, 8, 15)
Please join our discussion on racism. In parallel with the worship series, adult Faith Formation sessions invite you to explore racism in our homes and community.
November 1, 8 and 15, three questions will guide our Zoom-facilitated dialogue on a Christian response to racism:
What is going on and how do we make sense of it?
What is our role in all of this?
How do we respond?
As we engage with each other, we recognise that:
We are just dipping our toes into a deeper understanding and response to racism.
To delve deeper, we need to be comfortable with discomfort;
The “sea of whiteness” in our own congregation places a challenge to recognising racism in our midst; and,
We have diversity in our understanding and experience of racism and disparity.
Our sessions aim to offer a safe place to explore further our personal and church community understanding of and response to racism.
Here’s a run-down of our sessions:
Nov 1: Where do you see/encounter/experience racism? How have you responded? In break out groups through these and other probes we will have a chance to confront the workings of racism and our own involvement.
Nov 8: Consider Moses’ story through the eyes of the Egyptian princess. How do we as part of a racist system view our role? If you want to prepare, consider reading Exodus 2:1-10 and view “The Prince of Egypt”.
Nov 15: Discuss with Fanosie Legesse, MCEC’s new InterCultural Mission Minister, his experience of racism and Jesus’ invitation for individuals and the church to be Intercultural. He is open to any questions about racism.
Join us on the worship Zoom link each Sunday at 11:00. You just need to bring your curiosity, questions and a willingness to explore. If you are still reading and want to dig deeper in anticipation of the sessions, consider the resources below which complement the list already suggested.
Testimony from Waterloo Region’s town hall on racism on July 30 and July 31
A Waterloo Region Record op ed piece indicated “We must admit racism exists before we can stop it” (Oct 19).
Racism Resource List created by Missions Peace and Justice
Examples of racism in Waterloo Region systems:
Food insecurity is 3 ½ times higher among Black people than the white population
Blacks, who make up 3% of the [Waterloo] regional population were involved in 16% of forceful encounters with police.
Graffiti and other racist examples persist in Waterloo Region: inflatable doll with noose, xenophobic remarks, flyers delivered to homes, etc.
Do you have more examples we can add to this list?
Language and assumptions matter when we engage in intercultural dialogue. Consider, for example, the invitation to Fanosie Legesse.0