The Episcopal Diocese 

of Northern California

Beloved Community

Resource Newsletter

Published by

The Commission for

Intercultural Ministries

January 2024 

Episcopal Church Becoming Beloved Community

Newsletter Highlights:

• Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• "Injustice Anywhere is a Threat to Justice Everywhere"
• A Prophetic Vision for Justice
• The Rev. James Richardson Appointed to Committee Leadership Role for 81st General Convention of the Episcopal Church
• Becoming Beloved Community Grants Available for Episcopal Church Justice, Reconciliation Projects
• The Racial Justice Audit Webinar
• "Bishop's Book of Dreams" Seeks to Help Heal Generational Trauma
• 2023 Commission for Intercultural Ministries Year-End Message
• Epiphany 2024: What Does It Mean for Us?
• 2023 Commission on the Environment Year-End Message
• Rainbow Flag Meanings
• The Beauty Way
• Episcopal Election Activators for 2024 Elections

Martin Luther King Jr. was a Baptist minister and civil rights leader who embodied the journey toward Becoming Beloved Community. He identified social ills, including racism, in the United States and how hurtful they were to so very many (telling the truth). He declared a dream for our country: ”I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character (proclaiming the dream)." His message was a message of love, to care for the common good, for non-violence (practicing the way). He advocated for public policy that increased the rights of African Americans and others (Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965) (repairing the breach). 

"I Have a Dream" speech by Martin Luther King Jr. (youtube.com) I Rare Facts

Martin Luther King, Jr. described the Beloved Community as a society where “caring and compassion drive political policies that support the worldwide elimination of poverty and hunger, and all forms of bigotry and violence. At its core, the “Beloved Community” is an engine of reconciliation.” (Source: The KingCenter.org)

With Dr. King’s leadership and the support of so many others at that time and since then, our country has made great progress toward justice and equality. Even so, there is still much to be done.

In the Episcopal Church, we are guided by the vision of Becoming Beloved Community, our church’s long-term commitment to racial justice, healing and reconciliation. We’re all on a lifelong journey toward God’s dream, taking intentional and faithful steps as if moving through a labyrinth.

WALK THE BECOMING BELOVED COMMUNITY LABYRINTH

We organize our ministries around the four quadrants of the Becoming Beloved Community labyrinth. Each of these four commitments is necessary to dismantle and heal White supremacy within us, our churches, our communities and society at large.

●    Truth-telling:Telling the Truth about Our Churches and Race

●    Proclamation: Proclaiming the Dream of Beloved Community

●    Formation: Practicing Jesus’ Way of Healing Love

●    Justice: Repairing the Breach in Society and Institutions

(Source: https://www.episcopalchurch.org/ministries/racial-reconciliation/)

As followers of Jesus, we are called to love our neighbors as ourselves and to strive for justice and peace. (Episcopal Baptismal Covenant) 

On the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday, we are invited to recommit to the journey of the labyrinth, to build the Beloved Community.

For more information about the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California efforts to build the Beloved Community, please reach out to norcalcim@gmail.com.

Miriam Casey, Co-Chair

Commission for Intercultural Ministries

January 14, 2024 - The Rev. James Richardson, Priest Associate at Trinity Cathedral, preached a strong sermon in which he asks how do we as people of faith live in a world fraught with strife and still be encouraged? We can look to the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s example. Fr. Jim's sermon begins at 29:50.

Martin Luther King Jr. speaks to a crowd of about 5,000 outside Sproul Hall at the University of California, Berkley, on May 17, 1967. Photo: Associated Press

The Jan. 15 federal holiday honoring the birthday of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. will be marked with a variety of activities and services by parishes and dioceses across The Episcopal Church.

King, who would have turned 95 this year, was the key leader in the nonviolent equality movement for Black Americans in the 1950s and 1960s. Based in part on the impact of the 1964 March on Washington and King’s “I have a dream” speech, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act and a year later the Voting Rights Act. King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. He was assassinated on April 4, 1968, during a trip to Memphis, Tennessee, to support city sanitation workers who were striking for better pay and working conditions. He is honored in The Episcopal Church’s Lesser Feasts and Fasts calendar on April 4.

The following is a list of some events hosted by Episcopal churches and dioceses. Check online for additional events. All times listed are local.

Catherine Meeks shares the wisdom she garnered over the journey of her life, from her father’s sharecropping fields to the academy and beyond. 

Today, Catherine Meeks is a national leader of racial healing and an esteemed retired professor of African American studies. But being a Black woman in America can be difficult. Join Meeks as she describes the adventures and adversity she encountered on her path to becoming an empowered voice for change. 

Growing up in Arkansas under the terror of Jim Crow, Meeks learned firsthand about injustice and the desperation it causes. But with the support of her family, she moved to LA to study at Pepperdine. When a Black teenager was killed by a campus security guard, Meeks awakened to her prophetic voice, and a local women’s group gave her hope that racial reconciliation was possible.  

She later led a group of students to West Africa, where she met her husband. Yet her years-long battle with rheumatoid arthritis severed their relationship, leaving her a single mother. Meanwhile, she worked tirelessly at Mercer University to expand the African American studies program, all while earning her MSW and PhD. 

Quilting together these memories—bitter and sweet, traumatic and triumphant—Meeks shares her hard-earned wisdom: Learn how to discern the Creator’s work. Listen to the voice saying “yes” to opportunity. Become a wounded healer. Know when to practice silence and when to speak out. Readers will leave the pages of A Quilted Life enriched by Meeks’s unique perspective and insight. (Book description by Amazon)

"Christ in the Rubble" by Kelly Latimore

O God, author and giver of peace, in whose image and likeness each of us has been created with a human dignity worthy of respect on earth and destined for eternal glory,

listen to the cry that rises from every corner of this fragile earth, from our human family torn by violent conflict:

Give peace in our time, O good and gracious God, that peace which, as your son Jesus Christ told us and as we have experienced in these days, is a peace which the world cannot give.

To world leaders grant the wisdom to see beyond the boundaries of race, religion, and nation to that common humanity that makes us all your children and brothers and sisters to one another.

To those who have taken up arms in anger or revenge or even in the cause of justice

grant the grace of conversion to the path of peaceful dialogue and constructive collaboration.

To the innocent who live in the shadow of war and terror, especially the frightened children, be a shelter and strength, their haven and hope.

And to those who have already lost their lives as victims of human cruelty and chemical warfare, open wide your arms and enfold them all in the embrace of your compassion, healing, and everlasting life.

We ask this in the name of your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace.

Amen.

Peter J. Scagnelli

Since the beginning of the horrific violence in the Holy Land, the Episcopal Church has been advocating for Peace. As the killing and destruction continues, it’s imperative that strong voices emerge demanding a cease fire and massive infusion of humanitarian aid and that the steps toward a just and lasting peace for all people in the Holy Land be determined and implemented.

Recently, a Palestinian Episcopal Priest, Reverend Dr Canon Naim Stifan Ateek, wrote a letter to President Biden that laid out a Prophetic Vision for Justice, in which he proposes concrete steps toward peace. Here is the link to the letter.

As followers of Jesus, we are called to advocate for peace and justice. Please consider passing this letter on to your representative in Congress, your senators, and President Biden and urging them to circulate this proposal in the halls of Congress and the Executive Branch to spur a conversation about a path to Peace. The US must take the leadership role and guide the Israelis, Palestinians, and the world toward a permanent, fair, and just resolution of the conflict that has engulfed the region for the past 75 years. There has been too much killing and devastation. The healing must begin now!

Bob Wohlsen - bob.wohlsen@gmail.com

Advocacy Team Chair

Commission for Intercultural Ministries

The Rev. James Richardson of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California has been appointed by Julia Ayala Harris, president of the House of Deputies, to the "Racial Truth-Telling, Reckoning and Reconciliation Committee" for the 81st General Convention. He was appointed as the assistant secretary of the committee. The committee will be responsible for hearing and voting on resolutions related to racial justice and associated topics.

He is the former priest-in-charge of the Church of the Incarnation in Santa Rosa and the former Interim Dean of Trinity Cathedral where he is now serving as a priest associate.

Rev. Richardson is the author of the book, The Abolitionist’s Journal: The Memories of an American Antislavery Family, about his abolitionist ancestors and the founding of an historically Black college in Texas. He is also the author of Willie Brown: A Biography, about the former Speaker of the California Assembly and San Francisco mayor.

Applications are open for another round of Becoming Beloved Community grants to help support The Episcopal Church’s work of racial justice, healing, reconciliation, and creation care. The deadline to apply is March 1. 

Find criteria here and the application below.

Funds for these grants were first allocated in 2018 by the 79th General Convention; in 2022, the 80th General Convention approved further funding “for the continued implementation of additional work of organizing our efforts to respond to social and racial injustice and grow a Beloved Community of healers, justice makers and reconcilers.”

For more information: Contact the Office of Racial Reconciliation.

The Racial Justice Audit Webinar 

 Thursday, February 1, 2024, 5:00 pm

The webinar will be held via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82093026521?pwd=RDFZcjNTS0k1QnB1WlhFaUFHekcrZz09

All are encouraged to attend.

The Racial Justice Audit fulfills the requirements of the 2023 Diocesan Convention Resolution R3-2021.

We will be discussing the results of the Year 1 audit, and how we will be moving forward into Year 2.

Please join us.

Richard Sharp, Morning News Anchor on Fox 40 News recently saw the Bishop's Book of Dreams and expressed an interest in highlighting the work St. John's, Roseville, is doing for the Neighborhood Wellness Foundation (NWF) and their support of the Pacer's Take Space project at Grant High School on the "Faith Matters" segment.

The Rev. Cliff Haggenjos, Rector, and Diane Williamson, NWF Outreach Coordinator, were interviewed at the Fox 40 studio and highlighted some of the ways St. John's is making a difference in the lives of the young people they serve.

Diane, who is also a Sacred Ground facilitator at St. John's, says, "St. John’s partnership with Dr. Gina Warren [NWF Co-Founder] was born from our participation in the Sacred Ground Dialogue Circles. One of the things that occurs with many people who have participated in this program is that they become hungry for more information and activities which will help them feel they are making a difference in the racial justice arena and are living up to their Baptismal Covenant to strive for justice and peace among all people and to respect the dignity of every human being."

Keeping Track of Sacred Ground

Are you forming a Sacred Ground Circle? Let the Commission for Intercultural Ministries know by registering it here: https://forms.gle/hriHCPKmLwjUHEyEA

Are you interested in joining a Sacred Ground Circle? Sign up here: https://forms.gle/G26EPxDzEFSpnsZW7

In these early days of 2024, it is a time to reflect on the many ways our ministries were blessed in 2023, and to express gratitude to all of you who have contributed your time, creativity, and passion to building the Beloved Community in the Diocese of Northern California.

Our accomplishments are many, but I want to highlight each ministry.

• The Rainbow Ministry Team was formed and has taken steps to support our congregations to be more welcoming and affirming for our LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters. Planning is underway to launch the Safe Zone training program which will raise awareness and build the capacity of our congregations to be allies. Susanna Curry and Rev. Delia Fay lead this ministry.

• The Latino/Hispanic Ministry Team has grown and is planning training for clergy and lay leaders to be more effective to reach out to our Latino/Hispanic neighbors, to share the message of God's abundant love. Rev. Mack Olson, Missioner for Church Life, leads this ministry.

• The Racial Justice Audit (RJA) project completed its first year of study of our diocesan leadership. As the report is being reviewed for follow-up actions, the RJA Team is planning for the second year of the study which will engage with diocesan congregations. Lynn Zender and Jo Ann Williams lead this ministry.

• The Indigenous Ministry is continuing its efforts to support congregations to develop land acknowledgments that reflect a commitment to have meaningful relationships with the local tribal communities. The Rev. Canon Tina Campbell leads this ministry.

• The Refugee Resettlement Ministry continues to welcome refugees and immigrants to our communities and provide the necessary support for their successful transitions. Bob Wohlsen leads this ministry.

• Sacred Ground and the one-day workshop, “I Will, With God's Help: Journey Toward Racial Healing and Justice,” continue to enrich clergy and lay leadership to support their efforts to build the Beloved Community in the congregations and communities around them. Karen Nolan provides support to the Sacred Ground Circles. Miriam Casey and Jo Ann Williams coordinate the workshop.

REFUGEE

We think of him as safe beneath the steeple,

Or cosy in a crib beside the font,

But he is with a million displaced people

On the long road of weariness and want.

For even as we sing our final carol

His family is up and on that road,

Fleeing the wrath of someone else’s quarrel,

Glancing behind and shouldering their load.

Whilst Herod rages still from his dark tower Christ clings to Mary, fingers tightly curled,

The lambs are slaughtered by the men of power,

And death squads spread their curse across the world.

But every Herod dies, and comes alone

To stand before the Lamb upon the throne.

This sonnet was written in 2012 by Anglican priest-poet Malcolm Guite for the Feast Day of the Holy Innocents, the day we remember Herod ordering the killing of innocent children. Even as the poem describes the scene of Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus fleeing to Egypt 2,000 years ago, we are reminded that these scenes are occurring in our world today.

The Rev. Dr. Stephen Shaver, Rector of The Church of the Incarnation, Santa Rosa, began and ended his Epiphany message with the words of this sonnet. To experience the full message, watch the video of his message which begins at 24:30. You may also read the transcript of his moving sermon.

We travelled the treacherous human trail to the United States called the Darien Gap. It's a stretch of dense jungle connecting South America with Central and North America. The fittest take days to cross, the feeble - weeks - and some do not make it.

As we begin 2024, I want to express my gratitude to you for your enthusiasm and efforts to work toward our diocesan goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2030!

Together we have embarked on a journey that will, with God's help, enable us to decrease our congregations' reliance on fossil fuels and reduce their carbon footprints.

As you know, this is a four-step process involving:

1. Formation of congregational Green Teams.

2. Completing a baseline carbon footprint assessment utilizing the Interfaith Power and Light carbon calculator.

3. Participating in the diocesan-sponsored ASHRAE level 2 energy efficiency assessment or securing another in-depth energy efficiency assessment.

4. Utilizing the analysis and recommendations from these assessments to develop project plans to improve energy efficiency and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

The Commission has taken a number of steps to provide support for congregations.

• The Commission provided three webinars to educate individuals how to form Green Teams, how to use the Interfaith Power and Light carbon calculator, and how to use the results of the energy efficiency assessments to develop project plans.
• It also secured funding for Energy for Purpose to conduct the assessments and scheduled and coordinated the on-site surveys. Funding sources included the Diocese of Northern California, a Creation Care grant from The Episcopal Church, grants from the Episcopal Foundation of Northern California, and self-funding from several churches.
• The Commission also provided information about webinars that address funding for the actual carbon-reduction work and strategies for reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

Looking ahead to 2024, we plan to build on the progress already made by:

• Completing 10 additional energy efficiency assessments.
• Providing more information about funding and technology resources.
• Support for Green Teams developing their project plans.

Special thanks is due to several individuals who provided essential guidance and support for our work. We partnered with Sarah Paulos from Interfaith Power and Light and Colby May from Energy for Purpose. Bob Wohlsen coordinated the energy efficiency assessments. Lisa Harmon provided a guide to translating the energy efficiency reports into project plans. Great thanks to all of them for their invaluable contributions to our effort!

Even greater thanks goes to all of you who represented your congregations to organize and secure support to go through this process! Your commitment and local efforts are enabling us as congregations and as a diocese to make progress toward our goal of being carbon neutral by 2030! Thank you so very much!

Happy New Year! Interfaith Power & Light invites you to make a New Year’s resolution to go solar - at home and at your congregation.

For individuals and householders - on our new Electrify Your Home resource page learn about federal financing for your solar and find a solar installer through our partner, Energy Sage, the nation’s leading electrification marketplace. Their installers are vetted, and they have a real person to answer your questions by phone.

Find home solar resources here.

For congregations - on IPL’s Congregational Solar resources page, find information on financing, solar installers, and a map of other congregations in your community with solar.

Find congregational solar resources here.

For the first time, federal funding is available for nonprofits such as faith communities to go solar, the equivalent of a 30% off sale! Learn more on the solar resources page and about other financial resources - denominational loans, state and local incentives, and how to go solar with no upfront costs.

And if your congregation or home isn’t a good location for solar, consider subscribing to a community solar project in your area. They collect the sun, and you get greener electricity. Subscribe to a community solar project in your area on our partner Energy Sage’s marketplace.

Find home solar resources here.

Jack G., EnergySage Customer says, "The Solar Marketplace was really easy to use and saved me money! I received quotes from five installers, was able to make an apples‑to‑apples comparison, and selected the one that most appealed to me. They answered common questions in a non-technical way."

Find congregational solar resources here.

First Congregational Church of Melrose found an installer through their marketplace to install 100kW of solar, shaving $9,500 off their annual energy bill.

And don’t forget to add your congregation’s solar to IPL’s national map! Let’s show the world people of faith and conscience are leading the way on climate solutions.

In gratitude for all you do to steward our Sacred Earth for future generations,

Sarah Paulos

Program Director

P.S. Check with your state IPL for local resources to go solar.

This year is a presidential election year and a big year for climate action.

On January 25th, Interfaith Power & Light’s advocacy team will provide a 2024 climate policy analysis and share an update on our policy priorities going into the new year that include:

·        Advancing federal agency climate pollution rules,

·        Passing a Farm Bill rooted in equitable climate solutions, 

·        Ensuring Congress doesn’t roll back Inflation Reduction Act climate investments,

·        And holding GM and Toyota accountable for their EV leadership goals. 

2024 is a big election year, and we’ll also share our 2024 Faith Votes Campaign plans. 

Join us for this briefing on the climate policy landscape for 2024 on January 25th at 4 pm Eastern. 

We’ll share what we see as opportunities to advance climate policy this year, the areas we’ll be focusing on, and how you can help. We’ll also share where we expect to need to defend climate victories and the federal programs important to climate justice. 

RSVP here: https://action.interfaithpowerandlight.org/whatsnext2024

If you can't be at the live webinar, you can still register to receive a link to the webinar recording.

I look forward to seeing you there and working with you in 2024 to continue to lift up the moral call for climate justice.

Tiffany Hartung

Chief Strategy Officer

Read about the work and ministries of the Navajoland Area Mission, including an article written by The Rt. Rev. Barry Beisner about his transitional role as a Bridge Bishop Provisional.

2024 Redbud Trainings

Read about upcoming Redbud events, programming, and services.

• Going Beyond Land Acknowledgements
• Amplifying Native Voices in the Classroom
• Additional Redbud services

The Shoulder-to-Shoulder Campaign is a national multifaith coalition of religious denominations and faith-based organizations who are committed to ending anti-Muslim hatred, discrimination, and violence in the United States of America. This "Faith Over Fear: Countering Anti-Muslim Discrimination" webinar offered a brief exploration of the complex issue of Islamophobia and anti-Muslim discrimination in the United States, along with facts and data about the American Muslim community, and they left with practical messaging and communications tools, and concrete ideas including engagement tactics to make change on this issue.

Are you an Episcopalian who loves justice and who feels a particular call to public policy advocacy and election engagement? If so, then the Office of Government Relations Election Activator program is for you. Click here for information and to register for this opportunity. The first call for this year's cohort is next week.

As you know, there is so much at stake in this year's elections. The Episcopal Church has long stood for voting rights and secure elections. Your work as an Election Activator is an excellent way for you to do your part to achieve these goals and keep our democracy working. 

Please circulate this information among your church colleagues and friends. Also, please let me know if you or someone you know signs up to be an Activator so the CIM Advocacy Team can help them get the word out.

Onward toward the Beloved Community,

Bob

Bob Wohlsen

Advocacy Team Chair

Commission for Intercultural Ministries

Episcopal Diocese of Northern California

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021 authorizes EPA to offer rebates to replace existing school buses with clean and zero-emission (ZE) models. The 2023 Clean School Bus (CSB) Rebates process includes SAM.gov account registration, rebate application submission, review and selection by EPA, selectees will then submit purchase orders to request payment and then receive payment, which is followed by new bus delivery, existing bus replacement, and project close out. The program guidance and application process differ from prior EPA school bus rebate programs, so please review the summary of program requirements below and the detailed Program Guide before proceeding.

Send your school district the information to apply for funds to buy electric or low emission school buses. Applications due by January 31st.

• Call for a Ceasefire Now
• Tell Congress to Fully Fund WIC
• Urge Congress to Close Guantanamo

For more information, contact Bob Wohlsen, Advocacy Team Chair, bob.wohlsen@gmail.com.

The Episcopal Diocese of Northern California

The Commission for Intercultural Ministries

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