UUC is on a journey to becoming a more anti-racist Beloved Community. But just what does this look like and entail? The Anti-Racism Discernment Team is serving as eyes and ears for our congregation in gathering stories, feelings, and perspectives about who we are now, who we aspire to be, and how we get from here to there. We have been tasked with surfacing and summarizing congregational yearnings and fears, and distilling out of what we learn key recommendations for the Board of Trustees, the staff, and our congregation at large.  Toward this end, we are providing opportunities for church groups and individuals to share with us in listening sessions.

To date, we have held five listening sessions, all with established groups. Each session runs from 60-75 minutes. We ask some fundamental questions and listen carefully to what you have to say, without judgment and with a view to understanding (rather than fixing or refuting). During each session, we double check that we are accurately catching the spirit of what you are telling us. Furthermore, we are committed to protecting the anonymity of all of you who meet with us when we issue our conclusions and recommendations.

We have set up further listening sessions in the early fall with groups in our church and will be arranging more. In addition, we will be offering listening sessions open to any congregant who wants to attend – including, we hope, you! Our team anticipates completing the listening/gathering phase of our work this fall. Please stay tuned for information regarding listening session dates, times, and how to register.

If your church group is interested in hosting a listening session, or you have questions, do not hesitate to reach out to any one of us.

Rebecca DiNino and Mike Kasprzak, co-chairs

Brooke Lather, Heather Ferguson, Meta Thayer, Roberta Ray