Why are You on the Curriculum Committee?
When we received funding from the Lilly Endowment to support Pastor Dave Denoon’s sabbatical, 30% of the funds were designated for a congregational Renewal that would happen concurrently. That’s how our Year of Renewal 2017 came about.
A Steering Committee was formed, for the sake of developing mission renewal in the keys of faith and social justice, and specifically racial justice.
Subcommittees were developed to implement the Renewal Years goals to LEARN, EXPLORE, and PARTNER. The learning and exploration efforts are being headed primarily by a Curriculum Committee.
Recently, members of the Curriculum Committee answered two questions.
The first question answered was, “Why are you participating on this committee?”
The following shows how they responded. Although stated individually, there was consensus agreement among the group regarding the stated sentiments:
- I value where this (curricular) work can lead us as a church.
- To do my best to help start conversations about race relations and move toward healing action
- I have a deep desire for our people to examine our collective privilege; to be open to learning how much we don’t know/see; to create a community (ours) that is more diverse; and to examine – and try to dismantle – our biases.
- I’m amazed when people say they don’t have a racial/racist bone in their body.
The second question answered was, “What do you hope that the curriculum committee will be able to accomplish in 2017?
- I hope that we can offer compelling programming that appeals to lots of different demographics (in our church congregation).
- (Generate) comfort in the company of people much different from us
- Open frank and forthright conversations on race in our church in a safe & nurturing environment
- I hope to open eyes and change hearts; we all have to be willing to acknowledge that we all have learning to do.
- It is my hope that the curriculum committee will not only offer a variety of learning experiences for people (at FCCWG) but demonstrate a passion for knowledge and learning about our “mission” that will be contagious. In other words, I hope this committee can LIGHT the way.
- Hope to increase awareness of [the effects of] the “system” when reading news articles, listening to media, etc.
- (See) increasing action by congregants and by the church at large to help heal interracial relations in our region
- I hope to create enough discomfort that people are compelled to change – or at least be open to change
- Create a willingness in church members to explore the concept of white privilege
- Move toward a real and engaged embracing of a broader concept of “family” that included people of many races, sexual identity, sexual preference, personality types, etc. … and engaging regularly with that family!
- Create an awareness of what people of color face in their daily lives because of white privilege.