Anti-Racism/Pro-Reconciliation

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Register By Mail | Register Online | Download the Flyer North Carolina Region,  Since August 2017, the Anti-Racism/Pro-Reconciliation (ARPR) Commission of the  Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in North Carolina has offered Racial Equity Training for Clergy and Church Leaders in fulfilling the requirement for racial equity training set forth in Resolution I passed at the 2016 Regional Assembly held in Greenville, NC.  Over the course of four years, our Racial Equity Training has been faithful and effective in garnering the attention of other states and regions across the nation including South Carolina and Texas. Our training model is a sixteen-hour in-person process over the course of two days. Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, the ARPR Commission was forced to cancel the  Spring 2020 training as well as limit the platform capacity of our Fall 2020 training.  In a pre-pandemic world, we strived to offer a high-quality, interactive journey filled with biblical and historical content that offers clarity, sensitivity, and self-discovery as it relates to race. This model has been effective and impactful. Attendees have emerged armed with a common language, historical accuracy, better listening techniques, and the importance of sharing our stories! In June 2021, the ARPR Commission and the Regional Minister were able to offer an online Racial Equity Training through the support and hard work of our Training Team. This online model consisted of a series of (1) self-paced lessons through an e-learning platform, (2) online discussion forums, and (3) scheduled zoom sessions. This training was effective and successful. Additionally, we discovered ways to improve and streamline the online experience. While the process and content of the training are the same as our in-person, two-day workshop, the format, delivery, and length are different. Participants begin with an orientation session via Zoom, then complete self-paced lessons over the course of 3 weeks and conclude the course with several scheduled Zoom sessions. Our goal is to refrain from two concurrent days of eight-hour long zoom meetings while including as much interaction as possible through the best practices of online continuing education.  We have set the next online workshop dates as follows: Oct 18 (Mon) – Opening Zoom Session (6-8:30pm) Oct 19 (Tues) – Online Lessons Open for Participants to complete Nov 1 (Mon) – Zoom Day 1 (9am-12noon & 2pm-5pm) Nov 6 (Sat) – Zoom Day 2 (10am-12noon & 2pm-5pm) Nov 9 (Tues) – Online Course Closes We encourage all clergy who have not yet completed the required Racial Equity Training to register for the online training as soon as possible as participation is limited to forty (40)  participants. Grace & Peace to you,  Bishop Valerie Melvin, Regional Minister, NC  Rev. Dr. Jackie McHenry, Chair, ARPR Commission  Rev. Jason Williams, Vice-Chair, ARPR Commission…

Register By Mail | Register Online | Download the Flyer North Carolina Region,  Since August 2017, the Anti-Racism/Pro-Reconciliation (ARPR) Commission of the  Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in North Carolina has offered Racial Equity Training for Clergy and Church Leaders in fulfilling the requirement for racial equity training set forth in Resolution I passed at the 2016 Regional Assembly held in Greenville, NC.  Over the course of three years, our Racial Equity Training has been faithful and effective in garnering the attention of other states and regions across the nation including South Carolina and Texas. Our training model is a sixteen-hour in-person process over the course of two days. Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, the ARPR Commission was forced to cancel the  Spring 2020 training as well as limit the platform capacity of our Fall 2020 training.  As the pandemic continues to dictate the necessity for limited travel, limited capacity, and health/safety protocols, the NC Commission, the Regional Minister, and our trainers also continue to engage in thoughtful dialogue, finding creative ways of fulfilling the Racial  Equity Training requirements for NC clergy.  In a pre-pandemic world, we strived to offer a high-quality, interactive journey filled with biblical and historical content that offers clarity, sensitivity, and self-discovery as it relates to race. This model has been effective and impactful in which attendees have emerged armed with a common language, historical accuracy, better listening techniques, and the importance of sharing of our stories! In a pandemic society, the challenge consists of turning the current model into an online training model inclusive of a series of self-paced lessons through an e-learning platform and scheduled zoom sessions.  While the process and content of the training are the same as our in-person, two-day workshop, the format, delivery, and length will be different. Participants will have approximately two weeks to complete self-paced lessons. At the conclusion of two weeks,  all lessons must be completed as participants enter a series of zoom sessions. Five scheduled zoom sessions will be two to three hours in length, including Thursday evening, Friday morning/afternoon, and Saturday morning/afternoon. Our goal is to refrain from an eight-hour-long zoom meeting while including as much interaction as possible through the best practices of online continuing education.  We believe that many clergies and church leaders will enjoy this online option while others prefer the in-person model. At this time, we are scheduling only one online training in order to be both flexible and purposeful as our society moves through the pandemic in 2021. We encourage all clergy who have not yet completed the required Racial Equity Training to register for the online training as soon as possible as participation is limited to forty (40)  participants.   Grace & Peace to you,  Bishop Valerie Melvin, Regional Minister, NC  Rev. Dr. Jackie McHenry, Chair, ARPR Commission  Rev. Jason Williams, Vice-Chair, ARPR Commission…

To register for this event, please do so here. The ARPR Commission commends all of you who are engaging in the Regional Call to Action for Racial Equity and Justice for All! Many of you have participated in the Morning Call to Prayer with Bishop Melvin and leaders from across our Region. Thank you! Hundreds of you gathered for the Juneteenth Virtual Vigil for Freedom & Resilience. Thank you! Tens of thousands – including folks from Christian Churches in NC – gathered online for the Mass Poor People’s Assembly & Moral March on Washington. Praise God! Church leaders are working on proposals for CCNC Reconciliation Grants to engage their local community in ministry that nurtures and promotes racial equity. Praise God! Districts and churches are moving towards strengthened conversations and congregational training around racial equity and reconciliation ministry. To God be the Glory! And God continues to call each member, clergy, congregation, and organization across the NC Region to the ministry of reconciliation – to become an Anti-Racist/Pro-Reconciling Church. Hallelujah! We (the ARPR Commission) are working diligently on the massive Call to Action Plan that you received on June 22. We have fielded inquiries from a number of folks about the virtual Racial Equity Orientation Workshop on Building a Common Language scheduled for July 25 and 31. This is an online workshop designed to unpack language and cultivate a common vocabulary surrounding racial equity ministry. NOTE: This workshop does not fulfill or replace the Racial Equity Training requirement for clergy. To ensure the success of the Racial Equity Orientation Workshop: Building a Common Language, the ARPR Commission has discerned the need to host a Pilot Workshop before we launch the Workshop to the entire Region. Therefore, we are taking the following actions: Postpone the virtual Racial Equity Orientation Workshop originally scheduled for July 25 and 31. Host a Pilot Workshop for clergy during the Tuesday, August 4th CCNC Regional Pastor’s Check-In via Zoom Open the Workshop to the Region on Saturday, August 15 (10-11:30am) with a second Workshop on Thursday, August 27 (7-8:30pm). Registration will be required to attend each of these workshops, but will remain open through August 15 and August 27 respectively (same day registrations will be accepted) To register, click the at the top of this post or go here.  You may attend either of the region-wide workshops or both. We invite clergy, chaplains, ordained and commissioned ministers to join us on August 4 for the Pilot Racial Equity Orientation Workshop: Building a Common Language. Again, thanks to each and everyone of you for your commitment to racial equity in your churches, communities and across our region. In the Strong Name of Christ, Dr. Jackie McHenry & Rev. Jason Williams…

Dear Church: The Anti-Racism/Pro-Reconciliation (ARPR) Commission has taken to heart the Call to Action issued by our Regional Minister in her message on Friday, June 5. A season of prayer has begun as a result of this Call to Action. In continuity with the Call to Action, we will be hosting a region-wide Vigil for Freedom and Resilience on Juneteenth (June 19) at 7 pm (see attachment). The word vigil comes from the Latin word for “awake.” Vigil implies watchfulness, alertness, and awareness. On Juneteenth, we focus our gaze upon the struggle for freedom in the United States. We request video and audio submissions, as well as creative submissions such as spoken word poetry, visual art, photography, film, dance, creative movement, and music (instrumental or vocal). Submissions for this vigil could include creative, faith-filled expressions which: Highlight the history of Juneteenth Bring awareness to the current and ongoing struggle for freedom in the United States Call attention to places in our society where justice is denied Acknowledge the sin of racism and the resiliency of our region to work towards dismantling the systems that divide us Send submissions via email to jason@littletreenc.org no later than 5 pm on Wednesday, June 17. The murder of George Floyd again highlights that people of color cannot expect equitable treatment from the systems and institutions that make up the US. The promise of freedom and justice for all remains unfulfilled. We must keep watch together! The Christian Church in North Carolina Anti-Racism/Pro-Reconciliation Commission…