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RACIAL RECONCILIATION IN JASPER, TEXAS 3/16/16
“Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God.” Matt.5:9 When things came to a head in Jasper, Texas, Hill Kemp and his Peace Beyond Understanding (PBU) non-profit corporation sprang into action. There was a rash of arson fires on Black properties in Jasper – a residence, a church and then a beauty shop. Kemp, a White male raised in the Presbyterian Church, learned that three families – the owner and two beauticians – depended for their livelihood on that beauty shop. As a tax exempt religious organization, PBU and its tri-racial Board, was able to raise more than $10,000 to help re-build the beauty shop. Today what lay in ruins from the fire is a beautiful structure, rebuilt with volunteer labor – both Black and White – plus lots of prayer, determination and community togetherness.
On Sunday March 13, 2016, PBU and First Presbyterian Church in Jasper hosted Rev. Les Spears and members of Trinity Episcopal Church, Jasper, along with Ayesha MutopeJohnson, chair of the Multi-Cultural Network of Province VII. (Jasper is in the Diocese of Texas, one of 12 Dioceses in the Province). Guests were treated to a sumptuous potluck dinner and we shared our stories about racial injustice.
“This is what PBU is all about”, says Kemp, “we are seeking to make Jasper a loving and inclusive community, one relationship at a time.” Mindful of the negative image fostered by the James Byrd murder in Jasper in 1998, PBU seeks to create a safe space for authentic relationships across racial lines. To that end PBU’s chief initiative is “Friend to Friend”, which calls people to develop deeper relationships with their neighbors of different races by inviting them out for a cup of coffee, lunch, or just to talk, on a one-to-one basis. Kemp cites research that shows that most people have few (if any) deep and meaningful relationships with those of other races or cultures. ‘“Friend to Friend” challenges us to step outside of our usual circles and bridge the racial divide in our community,”’ he says.
Kemp’s life tells a great story of how he came to form PBU and work towards the peace that passes understanding (Philippians 4:7) in this small town of 7,700 people. He was raised in a family, and wider community, where racial prejudice was the norm. It was all he knew. However, when he went to college, he had an epiphany and realized that racial prejudice was a form of sin that he couldn’t continue to abide. This awakening changed his life. Today he still worships as a Presbyterian, but he is a new kind of Christian. And he spreads his philosophy of peace and justice wherever he goes. “Peace is not just the absence of conflict, he says, “we need to do more to bring people together.
” And PBU in its short life of less than two years has done much more, by conducting events where both Blacks and Whites participate, a rarity in Jasper. In 2015, they joined the Martin Luther King march, with just 4 White members, a number which tripled when they joined the march in 2016. On June 18, 2015, the eve of Juneteenth, they held a service of lamentation and healing at First Presbyterian, repenting the sin of enslavement and ushering in the June 19 commemoration of emancipation from enslavement. To raise funds and bring awareness to the cause, they have held cookouts, concerts and other activities.
When asked how the people of Jasper respond to his efforts he says: “At first they weren’t that sure about our motives, but people are warming up and are more willing to make friends and build relationships across racial lines. Through telling our stories, listening to each other, and educating ourselves about the history they don’t teach in school, we will bring peace and justice to our community, starting right here in Jasper,” Kemp says.
On Sunday March 13, 2016, PBU and First Presbyterian Church in Jasper hosted Rev. Les Spears and members of Trinity Episcopal Church, Jasper, along with Ayesha MutopeJohnson, chair of the Multi-Cultural Network of Province VII. (Jasper is in the Diocese of Texas, one of 12 Dioceses in the Province). Guests were treated to a sumptuous potluck dinner and we shared our stories about racial injustice.
“This is what PBU is all about”, says Kemp, “we are seeking to make Jasper a loving and inclusive community, one relationship at a time.” Mindful of the negative image fostered by the James Byrd murder in Jasper in 1998, PBU seeks to create a safe space for authentic relationships across racial lines. To that end PBU’s chief initiative is “Friend to Friend”, which calls people to develop deeper relationships with their neighbors of different races by inviting them out for a cup of coffee, lunch, or just to talk, on a one-to-one basis. Kemp cites research that shows that most people have few (if any) deep and meaningful relationships with those of other races or cultures. ‘“Friend to Friend” challenges us to step outside of our usual circles and bridge the racial divide in our community,”’ he says.
Kemp’s life tells a great story of how he came to form PBU and work towards the peace that passes understanding (Philippians 4:7) in this small town of 7,700 people. He was raised in a family, and wider community, where racial prejudice was the norm. It was all he knew. However, when he went to college, he had an epiphany and realized that racial prejudice was a form of sin that he couldn’t continue to abide. This awakening changed his life. Today he still worships as a Presbyterian, but he is a new kind of Christian. And he spreads his philosophy of peace and justice wherever he goes. “Peace is not just the absence of conflict, he says, “we need to do more to bring people together.
” And PBU in its short life of less than two years has done much more, by conducting events where both Blacks and Whites participate, a rarity in Jasper. In 2015, they joined the Martin Luther King march, with just 4 White members, a number which tripled when they joined the march in 2016. On June 18, 2015, the eve of Juneteenth, they held a service of lamentation and healing at First Presbyterian, repenting the sin of enslavement and ushering in the June 19 commemoration of emancipation from enslavement. To raise funds and bring awareness to the cause, they have held cookouts, concerts and other activities.
When asked how the people of Jasper respond to his efforts he says: “At first they weren’t that sure about our motives, but people are warming up and are more willing to make friends and build relationships across racial lines. Through telling our stories, listening to each other, and educating ourselves about the history they don’t teach in school, we will bring peace and justice to our community, starting right here in Jasper,” Kemp says.
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March 12, 2016
Dear Bishops and Deputies,
At General Convention this summer, our church made the strongest commitment in a generation to racial justice and reconciliation. As the leaders of the House of Bishops and House of Deputies, we were tasked by Resolution C019 to lead in this holy work, and thus to enable every diocese, ministry, and baptized person in our church to live and bear witness to the teaching of Jesus to love God and love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-40), by respecting the dignity of every human being, and working to transform the unjust structures of society.
To honor that call, we gathered on February 3 and 4 in Austin, Texas, to share our own gifts and stories, to learn some of the church’s historic and current activities, and to begin to discern a way forward. Rather than proceed with quick fixes or instant program, we adopted two essential practices: deep listening to stories and patient commitment to mutual transformation over the long haul.
Today, we write to welcome sisters and brothers in both Houses and ultimately all Episcopalians to join us in this ministry. The pain of racial injustice and division has wracked our church and the many communities where we both proclaim and embody the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our collective prayer and action can begin to heal what is broken and nurture the Beloved Community that is God’s dream for all.
At this stage, we look forward to convening one or more church-wide gatherings where many voices can share about racial justice and reconciliation, including the myriad racial, ethnic and cultural realities that play out across Latin America, Europe, Asia and deep into indigenous communities on this continent. We have also asked the Presiding Bishop’s staff to research options for the following:
- A gathering for listening with Anglican partners in the Global South, with particular attention to colonial and neocolonial patterns of relationship
- Vehicles for sharing stories, developing relationships, and listening to the Other
- Age-appropriate formation and education opportunities for dismantling racism
- A summary of the church’s current ministries and gifts for racial justice and reconciliation
- A census or audit to gain a clearer understanding of the church’s demographic make-up and its historic and current participation in systems of racial injustice
Please join us in spending the remainder of this holy season of Lent in prayer, asking God to prepare our hearts to share and to receive the stories and truths that challenge each of us most. Join us in looking to transformation well beyond a single triennium or even the nine years of a primate’s term, beyond the United States alone, beyond new statements and policies. We share the longing of our Lord Jesus Christ for metanoia – to turn, to be reborn as a Church engaged in behaviors, commitments and relationships that reflect the love of the One who called us to be one.
In the deep love of Christ,
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry President of the House of Deputies Gay Jennings
House of Bishops Vice President Mary Gray-Reeves House of Deputies Vice President Byron Rushing
House of Bishops Vice President Dean Wolfe House of Deputies Secretary Michael Barlowe
Dear Bishops and Deputies,
At General Convention this summer, our church made the strongest commitment in a generation to racial justice and reconciliation. As the leaders of the House of Bishops and House of Deputies, we were tasked by Resolution C019 to lead in this holy work, and thus to enable every diocese, ministry, and baptized person in our church to live and bear witness to the teaching of Jesus to love God and love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-40), by respecting the dignity of every human being, and working to transform the unjust structures of society.
To honor that call, we gathered on February 3 and 4 in Austin, Texas, to share our own gifts and stories, to learn some of the church’s historic and current activities, and to begin to discern a way forward. Rather than proceed with quick fixes or instant program, we adopted two essential practices: deep listening to stories and patient commitment to mutual transformation over the long haul.
Today, we write to welcome sisters and brothers in both Houses and ultimately all Episcopalians to join us in this ministry. The pain of racial injustice and division has wracked our church and the many communities where we both proclaim and embody the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our collective prayer and action can begin to heal what is broken and nurture the Beloved Community that is God’s dream for all.
At this stage, we look forward to convening one or more church-wide gatherings where many voices can share about racial justice and reconciliation, including the myriad racial, ethnic and cultural realities that play out across Latin America, Europe, Asia and deep into indigenous communities on this continent. We have also asked the Presiding Bishop’s staff to research options for the following:
- A gathering for listening with Anglican partners in the Global South, with particular attention to colonial and neocolonial patterns of relationship
- Vehicles for sharing stories, developing relationships, and listening to the Other
- Age-appropriate formation and education opportunities for dismantling racism
- A summary of the church’s current ministries and gifts for racial justice and reconciliation
- A census or audit to gain a clearer understanding of the church’s demographic make-up and its historic and current participation in systems of racial injustice
Please join us in spending the remainder of this holy season of Lent in prayer, asking God to prepare our hearts to share and to receive the stories and truths that challenge each of us most. Join us in looking to transformation well beyond a single triennium or even the nine years of a primate’s term, beyond the United States alone, beyond new statements and policies. We share the longing of our Lord Jesus Christ for metanoia – to turn, to be reborn as a Church engaged in behaviors, commitments and relationships that reflect the love of the One who called us to be one.
In the deep love of Christ,
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry President of the House of Deputies Gay Jennings
House of Bishops Vice President Mary Gray-Reeves House of Deputies Vice President Byron Rushing
House of Bishops Vice President Dean Wolfe House of Deputies Secretary Michael Barlowe