The NC Conference United Women in Faith Charter for Racial Justice Team hosted an event for all women on Saturday, August 24, at Garner United Methodist Church. The event was designed to raise awareness of the challenges minority women still face today in the workplace, community, and our churches.
Bishop Connie Shelton offered a greeting and provided equipping tools to have difficult and powerful discussions with those around us as we head into a racially charged political election. She reminded us that asking reflective questions can help us avoid escalating learning opportunities into arguments that leave our hearts even further apart from each other.
The Keynote speaker for the event was Reggie Lewis, the founder and Executive Director of The Encouraging Place, described on its website as a “vibrant community dedicated to fostering racial harmony, empowering women, and creating spaces where every individual feels valued and heard.” The non-profit, located in Durham, has been on this journey of hope since 2008. The mission of the organization is to “Encourage racial healing and understanding to create equity within our communities.”
SisterShare and Summer Oasis programs are monthly fellowships for women that bring them together to share a meal and have meaningful discussions designed to help them learn and grow from their unique experiences. The groups meet in various places around the city and often have speakers who share relevant issues with the women gathered.
Prior to moving into breakout learning sessions, the group shared a mind renewal moment using the Pray As You Go app. Through this free app, daily prayers that guide listeners through scripture readings are available to all. For this session, the anxiety meditation was shared to help the women focus on the presence of Jesus and to help those gathered to prepare their hearts and minds for the ways they could be used in their own communities to bring justice and healing.
Women then moved into four breakout sessions. Claire Cox-Woodlief facilitated session one, in which they discussed how all persons are equally valuable in the sight of God. Home Missioner Steve Taylor, how we describe the “redemption and reconciliation of Jesus Christ” in session two. Rev. Yolanda Correa guided those gathered in session three through discussions on racial and cultural diversity, as well as respecting each person’s value. Dr. Margaret Brunson, with those in session four, guided her group through questions around new attitudes, understandings, and relationships.
Members of Garner United Methodist Church provided a lunch for all attendees. Lois Johnson and Brenda Brown provided music. Time around the table was spent getting to know each other from across the NC Conference and renewing mind and body for the afternoon panel discussion.
Moderators for the afternoon panel discussion were Dr. Margaret Brunson and Ms. Claire Cox-Woodlief. Panel members were Connie Wolf (Asian-South Pacific), Evelia Simmons (Hispanic), Dr. Robbin Cooper (African American), and Rev. Tobi Nguyen (Caucasian). For nearly two hours, the women discussed the importance of helping each other move forward together. Multiple members stressed the importance of reaching our children early on to break the cycle of racial inequities.
The hope of the Charter for Racial Justice Committee is that this model for learning, growth, and understanding could be duplicated within each of the districts within the NC Conference United Women in Faith. As United Women in Faith, “We believe love in action can change the world.”
For more information on …
United Women in Faith visit United Women in Faith | Love in Action (uwfaith.org)
NCCUWFaith visit Home – NC Conference UWFaith (mailchimpsites.com)
The Encouraging Place visit ABOUT US | Encouraging Place (theencouragingplace.org)
Pray As You Go visit Pray as you go – Pray as you go (pray-as-you-go.org)
Article written by Kim Rice Smith.