Bishop DeDe Duncan-Probe has announced that we will be having a Diocesan Pilgrimage to the Legacy Museum in Montgomery, Alabama, and to Selma, Alabama, February 23-26, 2023. You can find out more about this Pilgrimage on the diocesan website: https://cnyepiscopal.org/resources/formation/antiracism/.
As part of preparation for the Pilgrimage, the Planning Team has two offerings for Fall 2022:
Diocesan Sacred Ground Group Online Beginning October 11:
Have you always wondered about participating in a Sacred Ground circle? Sacred Ground is a film-and-readings-based dialogue series on race, grounded in faith.
We will be offering a diocesan-wide online Sacred Ground Group. This group is limited to 12 participants; if there is enough 
additional interest, we might be able to add a second group.
We will walk together through chapters of America’s history of race and racism while weaving in threads of family story, economic class, and political and regional identity. The 11-part series centers around a powerful online curriculum of documentary films and readings focusing on Indigenous, Black, Latino, and Asian/Pacific American histories as they intersect with European American histories. Sacred Ground is part of Becoming Beloved Community, the Episcopal Church’s long-term commitment to racial healing, reconciliation, and justice in our personal lives, ministries, and society.
Participants are invited to peel away the layers that have contributed to the challenges and divides of the present day – all while ground in our call to faith, hope and love. More information about Sacred Ground can be found here. https://www.episcopalchurch.org/sacred-ground/
This group will meet via Zoom, allowing folks to participate from across the diocese. It begins October 11 on Zoom. If you would like to join the group, please contact Karen Anderson (St. James’ Clinton).
The dates are October: 11,25, November: 8,22, December: 6,20, January: 3,7,31, February: 14,28. All sessions on Zoom 6:30-8:30pm
Film Series Discussion in Preparation for Pilgrimage:
The Legacy Pilgrimage Planning team is offering a film viewing and discussion series for Fall 2022. The film study and discussion will be open to people interested in going on the Pilgrimage, as well as people who have done Sacred Ground and would like further engagement and discussion around these issues.
We will focus on two films:
13th, a documentary by Ava DuVernay. Named for the 13th Amendment to the Constitution that outlawed slavery, this documentary looks at how systems of exploitation of African Americans continued after slavery was formally abolished, and examines the way systemic racism shaped mass incarceration.
People will have the opportunity to view 13th from October 17-30. The week of October 31st, we will have a Zoom discussion of the film, moderated and guided by members of the Pilgrimage Planning Team.
13th is available on Netflix for those who have a subscription. Given the cultural and historical importance of this documentary, Netflix has made it available for free on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krfcq5pF8u8
Selma, a film also directed by Ava DuVernay which looks at the voting rights marches from Selma to Montgomery in 1965.
Since we will be visiting the Legacy Museum in Montgomery and continuing on pilgrimage to Selma, this film provides background to the specific places to be visited and issues which shaped the civil rights movement.
Selma is available on ITunes, Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, and other streaming services.
People will have the opportunity to view Selma between October 30 and November 13. The week of November 13th, we will have a Zoom discussion of the film, moderated and guided by members of the Pilgrimage Planning Team.
Stay tuned for details on registering for the Zoom discussion sessions in upcoming newsletters.
