SACRED GROUND

18

by Pastor Nancy DeStefano

This past summer, the Racial Justice Ministry began a new film-and-readings-based dialogue series on race, grounded in faith, called Sacred Ground. This series has been preparing its participants to lead new groups called “Sacred Ground circles,” which will be available to the congregation in 2023.

Sacred Ground is a sensitive, prayerful resource that creates space for challenging but respectful and transformative dialogue on race and racism. It invites participants to walk back through history in order to peel away the layers of injustice that brought us to where we are today. We reflect on family histories, stories, and important narratives that shape the collective American story. It holds as a guiding star the vision of the Episcopal Church that we become the Beloved Community. A community where all people are honored, protected and nurtured as beloved children of God – where we weep at one another’s pain and seek one another’s fulfillment.

Sacred Ground is a small group of 8-10 people who meet eleven times in a dialogue circle to reflect on specific readings and films assigned each week. The group discerns how our history is reflected in and continues to affect our lives today.

Transfiguration’s Racial Justice Ministry is excited to offer this in-depth opportunity for all of us. We have all been affected by racism, and we often perpetuate stereotypes and oppression without realizing it. As members of Transfiguration, we are part of a long history of faith-filled people who have made it their mission to “seek and serve Christ in all persons .” We have a great legacy of working for justice for all God’s beloved creation. Sacred Ground is another step in this journey of faith, a journey that is not finished. We cannot be satisfied with the status quo. We must work to open ourselves and recognize the injustice and pain still part of our culture and society for those who look different than the white majority. Sacred Ground looks at the wounds of racism inflicted upon Latinos and Asians, Black and indigenous people, people of mixed race, and whites. Yes, whites too are victims of racism because even as whites may have been the perpetrators – they are also the losers, having missed the experience of what all life is meant to be when all God’s people live together in justice and peace.

Much conflict and anger has erupted over this issue of racism in the news and on social media. Perhaps you have prayed, written to your legislator, or marched in a protest, and now you may wonder, “what difference can I make in such a big problem?”

You are not alone. The Episcopal Church has encouraged a sustained focus on racial justice and reconciliation since 2017. Sacred Ground represents another step in this work. The Rev. Canon Stephanie Spellers calls us to see Sacred Ground as a “pilgrimage in place.”

We have done much to advance the beloved community and work against injustice. There is much work still to be done. The first step in that continuing work is to go inside ourselves, admit where we are, and ask God to help us move forward. Again the Rev. Canon Stephanie Spellers writes: “No one needs to accomplish total healing instantly; just be ’a shade braver’ than you were the day before. Every time you do, you should pause, breathe, and look around. You will notice you are, indeed, standing on scared Ground.”