Religion and Race, Conference Commission on (CCORR

Religion and Race, Conference Commission on (CCORR)

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The Conference Commission on Religion and Race (CCORR) has had a great year since last June's Annual 2 Conference 2021. Yet, along with the celebrations, we continue to face challenges. 3 4 Imagine No Racism (INR) 5 At least six new groups have experienced the INR 2.0 curriculum in the past eight months. Participants are 6 excited to learn and understand that racism goes far beyond individual and interpersonal acts, extending 7 to institutions and systems in our society. As one participant said, "...this curriculum and the videos went 8 to the heart of issues, words, attitudes, and our expressions from lack of understanding the impact." In 9 addition, we've had multiple requests from churches and other groups to experience the curriculum and 10 we currently have a waiting list of folks eager to participate. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Throughout the year we've continued to update the INR 2.0 curriculum, editing for clarity and content. A CCORR sub-team is strategizing to develop a youth curriculum.

We've updated our facilitator training and held four workshops, training or re-training almost 40 facilitators. These people are then invited to join the UMC Upper New York Conference "Imagine No Racism" Resource Group on Facebook, which provides them with a forum to share resources and support one another as they engage in this hard but necessary work. One reader commented, "...thank you for your outstanding work. I have not seen anyone else doing the consistent quality and insightful posts that you have shared. That is especially true across the wider religious traditions."

22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 All 12 Districts submitted INR charge conference reports regarding their anti-racism work. The good news is that this is a big improvement from last year, when only six districts responded to our request.

 We received 454 reports, which is a 54% response rate for the entire Conference.  Of those responses, 346 churches, or 76%, say they are doing some form of antiracism work.  In terms of resources/activities that have been or will be helpful in doing antiracism work, o 30% would use/are using sermons o 25% would use/are using Bible studies o 22% would use/are using Admin/Church Council meetings o 19% would use/are using book discussions o 16% would use/are using movie/video discussions o 14% would use/are using the Imagine No Racism curriculum o 11% would use/are using Adult Sunday School classes o 11% would /are involved in anti-racism marches o 11% would use/are using speakers o 8% would use/are using another strategy

While dozens of churches are at the "thinking and reading about antiracism" stage, some groups have moved into actively dismantling it. Perhaps the most exciting news is that the Niagara Frontier District UMW has been approved for funding to help support local organizing campaigns to interrupt the schoolto-prison (StPP) pipeline. The UMW will use this grant to mobilize educators and allies to increase awareness about the StPP in local churches and UMW units using the StPP Bible Study and other resources and hosting presentations from Buffalo organizations that are working on the issue. This District UMW will also organize those who are willing to be effective advocates for changes in policies and legislation at the local, state, and national levels to engage with decision-makers at all levels of government and local

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school boards using UMW resources for national advocacy and action, as well as participation in state and local campaigns - particularly, collaborating with local partners to push the Buffalo School District towards 3 accountability for implementing the restorative justice policy in the BPS Code of Conduct. 4 5 Here are other positive highlights from charge conference reports: 6  In the Albany District, one church has a ministry action plan and team dedicated to antiracism. In 7 addition to two book studies, the team is working to develop a relationship with a non-white church 8 to better understand racism and build cross-cultural bridges of mutual aide. 9  In the Binghamton District, based on research of current events, church members write members of 10 Congress and support groups that help combat racism. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17  One church in the Cornerstone District "works to be the church in the world around them," actively engaging in the communities, bringing injustices to light whenever they present themselves."  In the Crossroads District, a lay member sends prayers to the church email list selected from UMC Discipleship Ministries INR prayers and provides each family a copy of Desmond Tutu's God's Dream, which offers inspiring message about diversity/equity/inclusion.  After completing INR and with the help of a coach, one church in the Finger Lakes District began developing an Indigenous Land Acquisition Acknowledgement statement and plans to fashion a

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Sunday worship service around that statement. The church will invite Native persons to participate and hopes to foster a greater awareness of the history of the land.  A Genesee Valley District church has created a social justice team that focuses on a local

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has created a dismantling racism group which is actively discerning its next steps.  In the Mohawk District, a church that led the community in first ecumenical study of the INR

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curriculum and is building a church library which includes many books on racial justice.  A Mountain View District church celebrated a church couple's adopting two children of color. They told us that they "...have supported them in prayer, presence, Christian education, and just the unconditional love of a church family....Our love for them, our investment in their spiritual growth and support of their education will continue for decades we pray....we are committed to living out our faith—to view everyone as a forgiven child of God, regardless of skin color, race, gender, socioeconomic status or any other society label that might divide us."  In the Niagara Frontier District, the pastor and members of one church participated in and hosted

32 33 34 35 their second annual community-wide, anti-racism worship service. This group also works on an ecumenical team which encourages awareness of systemic racism and efforts to discourage full participation of all citizens in the life of the community.

36 37 38 39 40 Sadly, though, many churches are not involved in antiracism work for a variety of reasons. Quite a few of them simply claim that "there is no racism here," or "we have no problem in this area." Others believe that racism is purely an individual issue of character or that INR teaches critical race theory and is divisive. CCORR continues to engage these siblings on the importance of anti-racism work.

41 42 43 44 45 46 Each church that submitted a report receives a customized email from CCORR thanking them for their report and responding to their efforts. This has generated some very fruitful dialog as well as some excellent opportunities for the CCORR team to be of additional service.

We continue to offer training to pastors and laity who have not yet experienced INR 2.0, and are currently finalizing a plan for commissioned clergy to complete INR through the Board of Ordained Ministry.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 We're also strategizing ways to have resources in place for anyone who wants to engage in areas of racial justice work after having completed INR 2.0 through ministry action plans. We do this in part through a group commitment to serve as a resource to anyone wanting to move further forward in anti-racism work. We also enable our commitment through continuous learning as we experience books, articles, and videos on the cutting-edge of anti-racism topics and scholarship.

Building Relationships CCORR is committed to being a resource and ally to all People of Color in the UNY Conference, and is intentionally building relationships with Native American, Hispanic, Asian, and non-U.S. People of Color.

 One member, who is not Hispanic, has been invited to, and joined the Hispanic Pastor's Covenant

Group, which meets weekly.  CCORR has also served as a resource for grant information for 25 churches in the Conference that are comprised mainly of People of Color.  Two of our team members have joined the Conference's Cross-Cultural/Racial Appointments

Team. CCORR also provided a list of resources to the Conference team's convener.  We remain strong allies with the three Native American churches in our Conference as they address significant challenges.

As Christians, and as United Methodists, we have an external and an internal responsibility to dismantle racism. Antiracism work gives us the opportunity not only to follow God’s call to work for justice but also to live into who we proclaim we are. Yes, racism is a large, interconnected, and often overwhelming system of beliefs, policies, and practices. All of us can find ways to interrupt and dismantle it. We can understand the system, and from there, find ways to dismantle it and take action. This is hard work that's done over a lifetime and CCORR is committed to continuing it, confronting racism, and eliminating it!