Healing the Wounds of Racism

Healing the Wounds of Racism

In the beginning...

there was a synod vision, part of which calls upon people to do justice. In 2002, the New England Synod Council chose Healing the Wounds of Racism as the vehicle by which the Synod would confront racism. Healing the Wounds is not another "program," but rather a "process" which involves participants in an ongoing attitude of prayer and openness to new feelings, understand-ings and actions about racism and its affects on all of us. The Synod Council identified Huperetai (Hoo-per-et-tie), a cross-cultural teaching alliance, to lead this process. The two-stage learning process engages participants spiritually, as well as cognitively.

• The Introductory Weekend is centered in prayer, history, analysis and learning about racism, white advantage and the affect of this on both white people and people of color. Participants commit to attending the next stage of development ( Stage 2 ) and community building
• The Stage 2 Weekend furthers the development of analytical skills to look at institutional systems and continues to encourage learning and nurture in a community of accountability.

The Healing the Wounds Community is open to all who have participated in the learning process. Community work involves Bible study and the support of one another in personal and institutional transformation. The Community gathered March 17, 2007, and September 22, 2007, a special "reunion" gathering. We also participated in a session with Tim Wise, author of "White Like Me," during July 2007.

HUPERETAI

Huperetai is a transliteration of one of the seven Greek words for "servant" in the New Testament.

These servants were referred to as "underowners." When the great Greek sailing ships were in danger of hitting the rocky coast, the Huperetai would get into a small boat tethered to the sailing ship. They would - with every fiber in their bodies - row to prevent the ship from crashing on the rocky coast.

In Luke 4, after Jesus read the prophecy from Isaiah about the coming revolution, he handed the scroll to the Huperetes.

Huperetai is a cross-cultural teaching alliance, based in Philadelphia , with experience in teaching, writing, community organizing and community building. They believe that the rocky coast against which we are asked to row is racism - in our land, in our institutions, in the church. The leaders from Huperetai are guiding us in our journey to discover and heal the wounds of racism in the New England Synod.

Huperetai believes that the text Jesus handed to the servant that day is the text that he hands to all those who would follow him. Every participant in the event has opportunity to receive that text and to work to affirm and sustain its fulfillment even among us.

I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God - what is good and acceptable and perfect. ( Romans 12:1-2, NRSV)