The Anti-Racism Commission's monthly newsletter goes out to all ARC supporters and training participants. Please forward it to others who might benefit from our resources and workshops. And check out our blog site for past articles, training information and ongoing resources.

The Rev. Paul Washington envisioned creating a series of paintings that portrayed "the conscious and unconscious, the suffering and the anger, as well as the strength and dignity of the African-American" and showed the parallels of the experience suffered by Africans enslaved in America and the experience endured by Hebrew slaves in Egypt as described in the Bible. Fr. Washington selected Bible passages to guide artists Walter Edmonds and Richard Watson as they painted murals around the nave of the George W. South Memorial Church of the Advocate (1801 W Diamond St., Philadelphia) between 1973 and 1976. Richard Watson's paintings, like the one photographed above, illustrate grief and losses of leaders in the struggle for freedom and equality, but also new life beginning and growing in the darkness. Learn more.

Sat. Jan. 28, 2023 from 9 am to noon on Zoom

Fee: $15. Scholarships are available. Email arc@diopa.org.

This training is a pre-requisite to a 5-part series which explores the multi-layered manifestations of prejudice, privilege, race, and systemic racism. After taking the introductory training, the other 4 parts of the series can be taken in any order. The next training will be Racism and History on Mar. 25.

The Anti-Racism Commission's anti-racism training series is facilitated by Lailah Dunbar-Keeys and designed to help participants understand the historic creation, preservation, and personal and institutional effects of a society built upon ideas of racial difference, which in turn support an unjust, racially based hierarchy. The series repeats annually, and offers the Introduction to Systemic Racism training 3 times a year. Anti-racism trainings are mandatory for clergy and open to all. Completion of all 5 trainings over 2 years meets the initial clergy requirement for anti-racism education. Scholarships are available, especially for postulants and candidates for ordination. Email arc@diopa.org.

Sat. Jan. 14, 2023 from 9 am to 2 pm

at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Parish Hall

84 E Oakland Ave, Doylestown, PA 18901

Parking is available. Breakfast and lunch will be provided.

St. Paul’s Church, Doylestown, will be convening an interdenominational day grounded in cooperation and exploration of anti-racism and the work each of us has done. This day is meant to welcome those new to the work of anti-racism, while also affording us time to collaborate and share our successes. The hope is that we can curate activities, ideas, and materials that allow us to continue to seek justice grounded in the Gospel.

The day has 3 distinct parts:

1. We will begin with 2 activities and discuss vocabulary that will allow us to explore where we as individuals are on the path towards racial justice for all. This is meant to engage both those new to the work and those who have walked the path for some time.
2. Then, different parishes and individuals will be invited to share programs, activities, ideas, and resources that have successfully helped them engage others and unpack the work of anti-racism in meaningful ways. The hope is to curate materials that participants can take back to their parishes and work and share with others. St. Paul's is working with the Doylestown Bookshop to provide access to anti-racism materials at a discounted rate to support our efforts.
3. Finally, Pastor David Green of Salem UCC in Doylestown will facilitate a talk and discussion on White Christian Nationalism. This is a very real and present danger that could undermine the work of spreading the Gospel. As Jesus’ earthly body, we need to be aware of the falsehoods that threaten the faithful and run counter to the Good News!



In Luke 5:4-11, Jesus tells Simon Peter to drop his nets in deep water. Despite his doubts, Simon Peter listens and hauls in a catch that is so great he has to wave for help from his friends. Working for the justice Jesus models in the Gospel is heavy work and we are waving across denominations to our friends for help. Please invite others who are doing social justice work in your parishes or in other congregations. Please register by Tues. Jan. 10 or as soon as possible.

If you have questions or anti-racism resources you wish to share, please feel free to contact Co-chair of St. Paul's Social Justice Committee and postulant for ordination to the Diaconate Jim Massey (jmasseypenn@gmail.com) or Wendy Brumbaugh (wbrumbaugh@outlook.com).

Fri. Jan. 20, 2023 from 5 to 7 pm

at Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral

23 S 38th St, Philadelphia, PA 19104

Parking is available.

Acclaimed Philadelphia artist John E. Dowell was called by his grandmother in a dream to travel to the cotton fields in South Carolina where his ancestors had likely been enslaved. Over the past 10 years, Dowell has produced an ever-evolving body of amazing and evocative fine art photography, which explores, in penetrating super-imposed images, both African American ancestral survival strategies and the wealth of this nation, seen through the lens of the cotton industry. To learn more, watch Cotton: The Soft, Dangerous Beauty of the Past - John Dowell Jr. In Conversation with Sonia Sanchez on Vimeo. The exhibition of his new work at Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral "Let Us Remember" will run from Fri. Jan. 13 to Sun. Feb. 26.

Save the date for "COTTON: New Multi-Media Work Inspired By The Cotton Photography Of Philadelphia Artist John E. Dowell" coming up on Sat. Feb. 25 from 7 to 8:30 pm at the Cathedral. In this spellbinding, multi-media event, Dowell’s photography will surround the audience on enormous screens of constantly changing images. Lyric Fest has commissioned 8 nationally renowned voices of the 21st century, each of whom has responded to Dowell’s photography with a new poem which is set to music by composer Damien Geter. Click here to learn more about COTTON and to buy tickets.

Sun. Feb. 5, 2023 at 10 am

at the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas

6361 Lancaster Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19151

The Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church, The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry, will travel to Philadelphia to celebrate the Feast of Blessed Absalom Jones and the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas' 231st Anniversary. Our own bishop, The Right Rev. Daniel G. P. Gutiérrez, will be the Celebrant. Bishop Curry will be the Homilist. Watch a Message from the Presiding Bishop: "The Spirit of Absalom Jones" on YouTube. For up to date information, check out The Spearhead: Weekly Newsletters of The AECST or join St. Thomas' mailing list.

Sat. Feb. 11, 2023 from 9 to 11:30 am

at Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral

23 S 38th St, Philadelphia, PA 19104

Registration is free. Parking is available.

On Sat. Feb. 11, join us in honoring the life and ministry of Blessed Absalom Jones, the first African American priest in The Episcopal Church, with a program and Holy Eucharist at the Cathedral that includes music from across the diocese and beyond. Acolytes from every church in the diocese are invited to process with their banners at this special diocesan-wide service. Please complete this form if your acolytes will be participating. The Bishop has requested his propers be substituted for the normal readings on Sun. Feb. 12. Download the Lessons Appointed for Use.

The Diocese of Pennsylvania's Anti-Racism Commission is hosting a series of racial healing circles on Zoom with Lailah Dunbar-Keeys. A racial healing circle is intended to gather African Americans to discuss the ways in which systemic racism has affected American culture and has consequently impacted their lives. Racial healing circles are for anyone who is Episcopalian affiliated, including a person who is not Episcopalian, but is affiliated with a church, knows an Episcopalian, or has interest in learning more. Each racial healing circle is limited to 20 participants. Registration is free and open to lay and clergy who identify as African American. To register, click on the dates below.

For any questions about our racial healing circle series, please email The Rev. Barbara Ballenger (barbballenger@gmail.com), ARC co-chair.

Sat. Mar. 18, 2023 from 2 to 5 pm

at the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas

6361 Lancaster Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19151

Fee: $15. Scholarships are available. Email arc@diopa.org.

This workshop is for church musicians, clergy, and lay people who want to learn more about how to introduce African American Spirituals to their choirs and congregations.

During the first part of the workshop, 4 clinicians, Dr. Jay Fluellen, Organist/Choir Director, African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas, Ruth Naomi Floyd, international jazz composer, performer, and clinician, Carrie Lessene, Artistic Director, Intermezzo Choir Ministry, and Dr. Thomas Lloyd, Canon for Music and the Arts at Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral, will take turns modeling how they teach the Spirituals to their adult, youth, and children’s choirs, as well as to their congregations. Special attention will be given to the historical context of the music, and the ways in which those who are not direct descendants of the enslaved people who originated the Spirituals can develop their own authentic connection to the music with respect and integrity. Music for these selections will be provided to attendees as part of the workshop.

The afternoon will conclude with a short service of singing, with performances by Intermezzo Choir Ministry, and closing worship led by The Very Rev. Canon Martini Shaw, 17th Rector, African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas. For more information, visit our blog The ARC.

A light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind

• The Possessive Investment in Whiteness: How White People Profit from Identity Politics, Revised and Expanded Edition by George Lipsitz
• White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo
• The White Racial Frame: Centuries of Racial Framing and Counter-Framing by Joe Feagin
• White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son by Tim Wise
• Waking Up White and Finding Myself in the Story of Race by Debby Irving

To bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness

• Exodus: To worship freely, Black Philadelphians staged the first-ever civil rights walkout. Today A.M.E. Church leaders say they’re fighting for basic rights all over again. by Zoe Greenberg and Layla A. Jones
• Blighted: How The Inquirer covered the clearing of West Philadelphia’s Black Bottom by Jake Blumgart
• Historical Perpetuation of U.S. Discrimination adapted from a document written by Crossroads Anti-Racism 2006
• Continuum on Becoming an Anti-Racist Multicultural Organization adapted from original concept by Bailey Jackson and Rita Hardiman
• Paintings on the Bible and The Black Experience and The George W. South Memorial Church of the Advocate
• Visiting North Philadelphia’s Church of the Advocate by Brent Baum

The Anti-Racism Commission was created by diocesan convention resolution in 2005 with the mandate “to affect the systemic and institutional transformation in the diocese away from the sin of racism and toward the fulfillment of the Gospel and the baptismal mandate to strive for justice and respect the dignity of all persons.”

Consisting of 12 members, a mix of clergy and lay and persons of various ethnic and cultural backgrounds, the commission aims to increase awareness of the history and legacy of racism in our country and to engage members of the diocese in dismantling its effects.

To learn more about how ARC can help your parish engage in the work of racial justice and repair, contact The Rev. Barbara Ballenger (barbballenger@gmail.com) or The Rev. Ernie Galaz (frernie@christchurchmedia.org), ARC co-chairs.