Dear Community Member,

We are excited to invite you to our third online Healing Conversation discussion on Thursday, November 19th from 7PM - 8:30PM. Healing Conversations are a monthly series that invites members of the community to engage with informed guest speakers and others on 7 different topics impacting our society today and how they relate to Moral Injury. Each discussion features a different topic.

This month's Healing Conversation topic will focus on Repentance & Forgiveness. Speakers and participants will have the opportunity to engage with the following questions:

  • How do you define “repentance” – How do you define forgiveness?
  • How does forgiveness impact the healing process?
  • Should there be forgiveness without repentance? Can there be forgiveness without repentance?
  • How does repentance and forgiveness play a part in breaking this chain? Or does it?
  • C.S. Lewis stated, “Everyone says that forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have something to forgive.” Why is forgiveness in opposition to human nature?
  • What is Restorative Justice?
  • How can we make Restorative Justice an integral part of our communities?

To register for this month's Healing Conversation, click on the link below:
FACILITATOR
Bishop C. Anthony Muse

Bishop Muse is a minister and former Maryland State Senator representing Maryland's 26th District. A powerful, nationally renowned and respected teacher and preacher of the gospel, Bishop Muse is the senior pastor of the Ark of Safety Christian Church in Brandywine, MD.
RESPONDENTS
Rev. Carlos Duran

Founder of Men Of their Word, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering men and families, Rev. Duran has a passion for linking faith, education, and social action to produce lasting community transformation. An ordained pastor, Rev. Duran was recognized in 2011 by President Obama as a “Champion of Change”. 
Ericka Strauss Chavarria

An advocate for racial justice in education, anti-racism, and restorative justice, Ericka has spoken, testified and promoted legislation at the local and national level on these topics. She is also a National Education Association Director representing Maryland and a Director for the Maryland State Education Association. 
Rev. Joseph Bachota

A U.S. Army veteran and pastor, Rev. Bachota has served in churches all over the world and oversees the Ministry Team in the Carolinas for Volunteers of America Chesapeake & Carolinas. Rev. Bachota and his wife Teri are also strong advocates of the Black Lives Matter Movement.
Rabbi Sonya Starr

Rabbi Starr is a member of the Baltimore Board of Rabbis and the Board of the Oakland Mills Interfaith Center. She is active with The Faith Network of the National Association of Mentally Ill and ISHUT (“Identity”), which works to determine the boundaries of Reconstructionism and Judaism. Her work focuses on spiritual practice and community activism guided by Jewish values.
To learn more about our Spiritual Development Colloquium and upcoming Healing Conversations, visit www.voachesapeake.org/spiritual-colloquium.
For questions, please contact us at communications@voaches.org.