Racial Justice Workshop Part Two

1. Racial Justice Workshop Part Two Notes from these sessions will be available at www.united-in-learning.com/racialjustice

2. Agenda • Prayer • The story of the Canaanite woman • Small group reflection on power and privilege • Detour spotting • Small groups: Stories, detours, and strategies • Resources for your work • Wrap up and sending out • Evaluations (or option for later evaluation) • Flip chart and phone open for up to a half hour after the session.

3. From the United Church’s statement on racism. Please say together as you feel able: We believe we are all equal before God. We believe racism is a sin and violates God’s desire for humanity. We believe racism is present in our society and in our church, and throughout time has manifested itself in many forms in varying degrees.

4. We believe that the struggle against racism is a continuous effort. Therefore, our anti-racism policy statement is only a first step. It provides the basis for the creation of a church where all are welcome, where all feel welcome, and where diversity is as natural as breathing.

5. We believe change is possible. We believe in forgiveness, reconciliation, and transformation, and the potential to learn from stories and experiences. We believe we are all called to work against racism and for a society in which the words of the Gospel are realized among us.

6. Matthew 15: The Canaanite Woman’s Faith 21 Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22 Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, ‘Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.’ 23 But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, ‘Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.’ 24 He answered, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’ 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, help me.’ 26 He answered, ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’ 27 She said, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.’ 28 Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed instantly.

7. Small groups: Was Jesus being racist? Dare we think that? • We’re going back into small groups now. These group will be different from yesterday’s. • In both small groups today, please identify someone comfortable with typing on the flipchart, and please help them by identifying the points you most want to share with the larger group. You’ll see questions and instructions on your screen.

8. Report back • On the flipchart, each group can note highlights from your responses to this question: • When you think of addressing race and racism in your ministry context, what fears or possible barriers surface for you? What opportunities or spaces?

9. 5 minutes to stretch! Break

10. We’re going to watch the second half of the video we began yesterday. We will see a brief part of a presentation by Dr. Katalina Tahaafe-Williams at Behold!, the United Church of Canada’s first intercultural conference, in 2009. This is her continued personal reflection on how white privilege was promoted by some of the greatest European philosophers; today, she focuses on the forms racism takes today. Dr. Katalina Tahaafe-Williams is the Uniting Church of Australia’s Mission and Education Multicultural/Cross-Cultural Consultant. She was formerly the Director of Communitas: Contextual Mission and Theology Program at United Theological College, and previously the United Reformed Church in the UK's Assembly Secretary for Racial Justice and Multicultural Ministry.

11. Detour-spotting • We’re going to talk about “detouring” and how to recognize it. • When you talk about almost any aspect of racial justice in your ministry or community, you'll soon encounter push backs called “detours”, “derailing”, or “denials”. (Think “3D”!) • These are attempts to divert from an uncomfortable topic, minimize or explain away the reality of racism, power and privilege, or claim they aren’t real.

12. Detours • “Detouring” applies to many discussions about power and identity. If you get into conversations about sexism, ableism, transphobia, and many other situations of discrimination and fear you’ll also encounter detours. Learning to identify and address detours is often helpful for many aspects of your social justice and intercultural ministry. • For this session, we’ll focus on race and racism.

13. Detours, denials, or derailing you might hear when you talk about race and racism: • I don't see race/ I'm colour blind/ all people are the same to me. • In the end, aren’t we all God's people? • “They” (people of colour and Indigenous people) discriminate too. (Often followed by an example of prejudice rather than racism.) • Didn't the Official Board already deal with this last year?

14. Addressing detours/ denial/ derailing: • Part of racial justice is learning to both identify and respond to these detours, many of which are unconscious or subconscious. • They may not be intended as malicious, and people may not understand the impact of their words or even why they’re saying them. But that doesn’t diminish their power or impact. (“Intent versus Impact”) • Learning how to address these is a long, slow journey that includes challenging our own detours.

15. Small groups • In small groups, you will look at one of two stories that are based on lived experiences in our church. Three questions are offered. • For the report back, please choose someone from the group who is comfortable typing. Note the group’s responses to the last question only (the strategies question) and share some of them on the flipchart.

16. Report back • Welcome back from your discussion. Please have a look at the flipchart as each group offers some responses to the final question: Finding strategies: Imagine you are a member of the committee or Conference meeting described in these stories. How might you address what you are seeing and hearing?

17. Resources • That All May be One is an excellent resource book covering many aspects of racial justice in all parts of the church’s life. It covers scripture commentary, worship, action planning, workshops, and more. Parts are posted on both www. united-church.ca and United in Learning, http://www.united-in-learning.com/ • Ending Racial Harassment- Creating Healthy Congregations: http://www.united-church.ca/files/handbooks/racial-harassment.pdf • The Canadian Council of Churches’ Canadian Ecumenical Anti-Racism Network has also produced many good annual reflection and worship resources.

18. Resources • Our church is moving into an intercultural understanding of itself and its ministry. Racial justice is a crucial part of this journey. See http://www.united-church.ca/intercultural/resources to get started, and watch for events in your area.

19. Resources • ·From www.ucrdstore.ca: • Our Common Vision: Becoming an Intercultural Church (DVD With Enclosed Study Guide) • Sankofa: The Histories And Heritages Of Black Peoples In The United Church Of Canada (DVD With Enclosed Study Guide) • Intercultural Visions: Called To Be The Church (book, with study questions)

20. What next? Steve will notify your Conference Personnel Minister that you have completed this workshop. Please add your evaluations! These are very important to the workshop’s continued development and will help us improve this newly-revised version. You can do this: - Now, in the boxes provided. - Later, through the Survey Monkey evaluation form. The link will be posted or sent to you.

21. Reminder • Further resources will be available on the United in Learning site. Ideas for other resources are welcome! • The flipchart/ chat room will be open for up to an hour after the workshop. Questions and discussion among all participants is welcome, and the facilitators will be present. The discussion is confidential and will not be posted publicly.

22. Closing words: sending out

23. Resources from our session will be posted at www.united-in-learning.com/racialjustice