Race & Reconciliation
Race & Reconciliation Committee
"Becoming Beloved Community: The Episcopal Church's Long-term Commitment to Racial Healing, Reconciliation and Justice" is more than just another program - this is intended to be a path for all of us to follow. As outlined by The Episcopal Church in May 2017, Becoming Beloved Community has a focus on racial healing and is comprised of four components: tell the truth; repair the breach; proclaim the dream; and practice the way of love. Becoming the Beloved Community is a journey.
The Race & Reconciliation Committee of the Diocese of Southwest Florida is an ad hoc committee, which will help equip the diocese to continue to live into reconciling work of the Gospel in the spirit of Becoming Beloved Community.
Mission of the Committee
The Race and Reconciliation Committee of the Diocese of Southwest Florida serves the diocese as we live out our Baptismal Covenant and honor the resolutions of our General Convention. Our work focuses on education and advocacy with the purpose of dismantling racism and lifting up racial justice and reconciliation in Christ.
Purpose of the Committee
The Race and Reconciliation Committee of the Diocese of Southwest Florida develops and supports training (as required by canon), resources, events, and communication to the diocese and its parishes to increase awareness and advocacy around individual and systemic racism. We strive to enkindle in the hearts of all a passion for, and action toward, an inclusive, diverse, and joyful vision of the Body of Christ, in which the image of God is celebrated in each and every human person.
Committee Priorities
- Develop and conduct anti-racism training for the diocese
- Provide resources and training for anti-racism work for parishes
- Plan and implement anti-racism events for the diocese
The 2023 Race & Reconciliation Committee:
Co-Chair: The Rev. Kathy Schillreff - [email protected]
Co- Chair: Ms. Tania Wilkes - [email protected]
Mr. Russ Ball - [email protected]
Ms. Ning Bonoan - [email protected]
The Honorable Jack Day - [email protected]
The Rev. Deacon Martha E. Goodwill - [email protected]
Ms. Ayana Grady - [email protected]
The Rev. Dr. Doris Buchanan Johnson - [email protected]
The Rev. Peter Lane - [email protected]
Ms. Rebecca Lyons - [email protected]
Ms. Leila Mizer - [email protected]
The Rev. Dr. James H. Reho - [email protected]
Dismantling Racism Training
In support of the Diocese of Southwest Florida's Becoming Beloved Community/Anti-Racism Policy, the diocesan Race and Reconciliation Committee is offering a six-hour diocesan dismantling racism training aligned with The Episcopal Church’s priority of racial reconciliation beginning in 2022.
Training will include a framework for brave group dialogue, an overview of The Episcopal Church’s rationale for addressing racial injustice, a strong grounding in scripture and church tradition, and an overview of notable historical events in America. Training will be held via Zoom to accommodate a large number of clergy and lay leaders who are required to participate. Read more bout the training here.
Read the Becoming Beloved Community/Anti-Racism Policy of the Diocese of Southwest Florida
Upcoming Dismantling Racism Training Events
- Saturday, February 25, from 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (all on Zoom) one-day training.
- Friday, April 28, 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. and Saturday, April 29: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. (all on Zoom). Register Here
Sacred Ground Circles meeting throughout the diocese
Sacred Ground is a film - and readings - based dialogue series on race, grounded in faith. Small groups are invited to walk through chapters of America’s history of race and racism while weaving in threads of the family story, economic class, and political and regional identity. The 10-part series is built around a powerful online curriculum of documentary films and readings that focus on Indigenous, Black, Latino, and Asian/Pacific American histories as they intersect with European American histories. New dialogue circles form year-round. You can contact any of these deanery contacts below for more information on how to join the next circle or to learn more about this important work. Learn more HERE.
- PRIMARY CONTACT: The Rev. James Reho, [email protected]g
Past Events and Recordings
Critical Race Theory Origins and Applications with Dr. Ray Arsenault
The Race and Reconciliation Committee invites you to watch Dr. Raymond Arsenault and learn more about Critical Race Theory, its origins, and its applications.
Dr. Arsenault is an American historian and academic. He is the John Hope Franklin Professor of Southern History and co-director of the Florida Studies Program at the University of South Florida.
Diocesan-wide Book Study
Kickoff: "Resurrection Hope" with the author the Rev. Cn. Dr. Kelly Brown Douglas. Watch the event below:
An Indigenous Boarding School Experience with Wayne William Snellgrove
Watch the event below:
Diocesan-wide book read: The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism by Jemar Tisby (video introduction)
- This six-week book study gathered over Zoom to discuss The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism. Author Jemar Tisby answered questions via video, and a shared discussion addressed what steps we can take moving forward.
Dr. Catherine Meeks: "Where are We Now & Where do We Go From Here?"
- Catherine Meeks, Ph.D., is Executive Director of the Absalom Jones Center for Racial Healing. A sought-after teacher and workshop leader, Catherine brings four decades of experience to the work of dismantling racism in Atlanta. Watch her DaySpring Racial Reconciliation Workshop HERE. Read a follow-up piece from Catherine Meeks, "Can We Have A Word With You?"
The Work of the Church in Reconciliation and Racial Healing
- The Diocesan Committee on Race and Reconciliation is working to gather and create an array of resources to assist parishes and individuals in confronting racism. Join us to learn about the available resources, including updated resources from our website, how to participate in a Sacred Ground dialogue circle to learn about racism in the community, and upcoming events. A recording of this workshop is available HERE. To download the presentation click HERE.
Brian McLaren: The Doctrine of Discovery "To Understand the Present, Study the Past"
- To understand what is happening in the United States today, we need to understand an important document from the 15th Century called "The Doctrine of Discovery." Watch the recording HERE. Links mentioned in the presentation can be found HERE
Ubuntu: I in You and You in Me
- Reconciliation with The Rev. Dr. Michael Battle. Two of the main sessions can be viewed HERE.
Grace in a Year Of Trials
Two-night discussion on race, pandemic, and election in 2020; for both nights' discussions, click HERE.
- Part I: Reckoning with the Two Pandemics with the Rt. Rev. Robert C. Wright, Bishop of the Diocese of Atlanta.
- Part II: The Intersection of Faith and Civic Life
The Effects of COVID-19 on Our Communities
- A conversation with Dr. Kanika Tomalin, Deputy Mayor of St. Petersburg, and Randy Russell, president/CEO of the Center for Health Equity, about the many aspects of COVID-19. Moderated by the Rev. Martha Goodwill. Presented at the 52nd Annual Diocesan Convention. Watch the recording HERE.
Uncovering the Confederate Legacy in the Church with The Rev. Hanna Pommersheim
- To watch the recording of this webinar held on Sept. 29, 2020, click HERE ( Passcode: 7m?W4Q6N )
- The transcript of the chat can be found HERE
Beloved Community Town Hall
- To watch the recording of the Beloved Community Town Hall held on Sept. 8, 2020, click HERE ( Passcode: 6..+xsie )
Ambassador Andrew Young at Church of the Redeemer
- Andrew Young spoke at Church of the Redeemer on Jan. 16, 2020. Click HERE.
News of Reconciliation
The John E. Culmer Chapter of the Union of Black Episcopalians Celebrates the Feast Day of Absalom Jones
February 08, 2023
PARRISH - The John E. Culmer Chapter of the Union of Black Episcopalians Celebrates the Feast Day of Absalom Jones at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 11, 2023, at St. Mary's Episcopal Church, 4311 W San Miguel St, Tampa, FL 33629.
The Rev. Mario Milián is hosting with speaker the Rev. Andrea Rose Hayden and celebrant the Rt. Rev. Douglas Scharf, Sixth Bishop of the Diocese of Southwest Florida.
All are invited!
Episcopal leaders express frustration, concern over limits on teaching of Black history
February 02, 2023
[Episcopal News Service] In the 1980s, as a teenager in an all-Black high school in Detroit, Michigan, the Rev. Ronald Byrd Sr., The Episcopal Church’s missioner for African descent ministries, learned he had a place in America.
Diocesan House Participates in Dismantling Racism Training
August 11, 2022
PARRISH - Imagine in your mind’s eye a labyrinth. As you journey around corners and double back into areas you may have visited before, you find new meaning and challenges. Walking the labyrinth, an activity filled with reflection and discovery is the perfect metaphor for the experience had by Diocesan staff during their Dismantling Racism Training.
In December 2021, the diocese announced the approval of the Becoming Beloved Community/Anti-Racism Policy of the Diocese of Southwest Florida. This policy outlines a requirement for anti-racism training to be taken by all lay and ordained leadership in the diocese.
In early 2022, the Race & Reconciliation Committee for the diocese developed the Dismantling Racism Training, offering it on Zoom multiple times over the course of the year. The training includes an overview of The Episcopal Church’s rationale for addressing racial injustice, a history of racism in America, and brave group dialogue on topics including native lands, privilege, implicit bias, and the journey to Becoming a Beloved Community.
Breaking away from the screen, members of the Race & Reconciliation Committee visited Diocesan House on Friday, August 5 to hold an in-person training for the Bishop’s staff.
Working as a team and in small groups, the interactive training provided a safe space to share personal experiences and expand one's understanding of topics that included native lands, key terms in the dialogue about racial reconciliation, European and American history in regard to the construct of “race,” and much more.
"We were fortunate to spend the day learning and listening as we reflected on how our Baptismal Covenant calls us to dismantle racism in all of its forms," shared John Edgar, Director of Congregation Support. "The Race and Reconciliation Committee has developed a thoughtful training program that helps participants engage with this challenging material in a supportive setting. I am excited to see this work continue across the Diocese of Southwest Florida among our lay leaders and our clergy."
Joined by the Rev. Dr. James Reho, Chair of the Race and Reconciliation Committee, Dismantling Racism trainers included Ayana Grady, the Hon. Jack Day, the Rev. Peter Lane, and Tania Wilkes.
The training provided a strong grounding in scripture and church tradition, guiding participants through the labyrinth of Telling the Truth, Proclaiming the Dream, Practicing the Way of Love, and Repairing the Breach. It concluded with an exercise where the staff envisioned what Becoming a Beloved Community looks like as Episcopalians and in the Diocese of Southwest Florida.
Pictured Above: (Back Row, Left to Right) Wendy Martucci, Mike Booher, the Rev. Canon Richard Norman, the Rev. Dr. Douglas Scharf, the Rev. Peter Lane, John Edgar, the Rev. Canon Chris Gray. (Front Row, Left to Right) Ayana Grady, Angie Ford, Carla Odell, the Hon. Jack Day, Tania Wilkes, and the Rev. Dr. James Reho. Photographed by Lindsey Nickel. Second Image: The Hon. Jack Day, Ayana Grady, the Rev. Dr. James Reho, Tania Wilkes, and the Rev. Peter Lane.
Diocesan Council Approves Becoming Beloved Community/Anti-Racism Policy of the Diocese of Southwest Florida
December 15, 2021
PARRISH - At the October Diocesan Council meeting, the Council approved the following Becoming Beloved Community/Anti-Racism Policy of the Diocese of Southwest Florida.
First Dismantling Racism Training on January 15, 2022
November 16, 2021
PARRISH - The diocesan Race and Reconciliation Committee has been hard at work over the last year planning diocesan-wide events examining racism (both virtual and in-person), curating a list of resources to support parishes as they begin or continue their efforts toward racial reconciliation, and creating a six-hour diocesan dismantling racism training aligned with The Episcopal Church’s priority of racial reconciliation beginning in 2022. Diocesan deacons and members and guests of the Race and Reconciliation Committee participated in the first training on October 9, 2021.
The John E. Culmer Chapter of the Union of Black Episcopalians
April 19, 2021
The Union of Black Episcopalians is a diverse group of Black, white and Hispanic Episcopalians who work together to unite the diverse cultures, concerns and gifts of Black Episcopalians by providing preparation and encouragement for living the Baptismal Covenant and fully participating in the mission and governance of The Episcopal Church. The Southeastern Region chapter of the UBE, which includes the Diocese of Southwest Florida, is known as the John E. Culmer Chapter.
Beloved Gathering April 27 with Presiding Bishop Curry
April 12, 2021
ONLINE - Presiding Bishop Michael Curry invites participants and facilitators who have been part of the Sacred Ground race dialogue film series to convene as a community.
History of African-American Communities in St. Petersburg
March 29, 2021
ST. PETERSBURG -Noted Civil Rights historian Ray Arsenault will lead a webinar discussion about the history of the African-American communities in St. Petersburg on Wednesday, April 7 at 7 p.m. on Zoom.
Reconciliation Committee Welcomes Brian McLaren
March 12, 2021
ONLINE - Writer Brian McLaren will speak at a diocesan Zoom gathering on Monday, April 19 at 7 p.m. This event is hosted by the Diocesan Race and Reconciliation Committee
