LISTEN AND LEARN ABOUT RACISM

 

Summer 2020 Racial Justice Educational Series Resources

   Offered Mondays July 27, August 3, 10, & 17 from 7-8:30 pm on Zoom for this Racial Justice Educational Series

Did the recent reports of racially-motivated violence catch you by surprise? Do you find it unsettling and confusing? If so, you are not alone. As members of the ELCA, a church in which about 95% of members identify themselves as white, we have been insulated from the truth about the racially-dividing legacy which is embedded in our country.

In an effort to better understand racial justice, our church invited you to engage in a series of educational discussions. The discussions provide historical context, facilitate your personal journey, and, help you find your voice in this national conversation.

If you have questions, feel free to email Cathy Rice at cprpenpal@gmail.com or Pastor Lura Groen at Lura.Groen@gmail.com.

Sponsored by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Delaware-Maryland Synod Racial Justice Team.

 

Monday, July 27th, 2020
Session 1: White Privilege and Anti-Racism Basics and Terminology
Facilitated by Pastor Patrick Gahagan from Journey of Faith Church in Baltimore
An essential early step in becoming an anti-racist is understanding the definition of racism and how it operates in our daily lives in mostly covert ways within our society. Being an anti-racist heightens your awareness to the way language, images, stories and policies perpetuate the inequalities and injustices we see around the construct of race. 

Click here for a copy of this Session 1 presentation

Click here for a recording of Session 1


Monday, August 3rd, 2020
Session 2: The National History of Racial Inequity
Facilitated by James Yamakawa, a lay leader from Faith Lutheran church in Salisbury
This session will provide a brief primer on America’s history of white supremacy through the lens of three racial terror lynchings on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

Click here for a copy of this Session 2 presentation 

Click here for a recording of Session 2

  

Monday, August 10th, 2020
Session 3: The Church, Racism and the Whitest Denomination in the U.S.

Facilitated by Pastor Gregg Knepp from Jerusalem Lutheran Church in Baltimore
Did you know that Racism started as a theological concept among European Christians? This session will also address factors contributing to Lutherans becoming the whitest denomination in the country and discuss the question, “where do we go from here?”

Click here for a copy of this Session 3 presentation

Click here for a recording of Session 3 Part 1

Click here for a recording of this Session Part 2


Monday, August 17th, 2020
Session 4: Exploring Your Personal Biases and Calling
Facilitated by Cathy Rice, a lay leader from First Lutheran Church in Ellicott City
Everyone has biases based on their personal experiences. We are also each blessed with personal gifts. Learn how to discover your biases and gifts regarding race and use this knowledge to move towards becoming “anti-racist.”

Click here for a copy of this Session 4 presentation

Click here for a recording of Session 4