Dear Friends in Christ,
The response to my letter and video of last week, regarding the death of George Floyd, has been deep and broad. Many of you took the time to tell me painful stories of your own encounters with racism. White folks have recounted the bigotry in their families of origin, while people of color have described the daily barriers they face and the constant burden they bear due to white reactions to the color of their skin. Many of you have volunteered to help in the efforts I proposed. I want to answer each of these emails personally, so please be patient.
I find the resolve I articulated a few days ago is only growing in me. The answer to the great question, “What shall we do?” (Acts 2:37) is by degrees becoming clearer, since all of us must first answer the question “What shall I do?”
This resolve is being fed by every conversation I am having, with black leaders and white leaders, with clergy and congregants. I will be discussing possible next steps at a Zoom work day this Saturday with our Commission on Race and Reconciliation. I expect by the end of this week or the beginning of next to offer a few specifics on a way forward for us all to take seriously the challenge of dismantling racism in our own environments, as well as proposals I outlined last week regarding worship and a council of advice. Again, only a beginning – small steps toward concrete goals- through which we trust the Holy Spirit may begin to achieve true repentance, reconciliation and healing in and through us.
We will be adding a hub to our diocesan webpage tentatively titled “Resources for Responding to Racist Violence;” just as our COVID-19 hub provides resources for handling the current pandemic, so I hope we can begin to build a useful treasury for local congregations and study/mission groups to use as they learn and pray their way to deeper action. Again, if you have come across anything you feel has been particularly useful to you in this regard, please let me hear from you so we can consider including it.
May these days in the season after Pentecost be the beginning of a movement of the Spirit to renew our souls and our society.
Faithfully your bishop,
(The Right Reverend) Dorsey W.M. McConnell, D.D.