—-Read the full statement of What We Believe about racial healing, justice, and reconciliation on the St. John’s racial healing, justice, and reconciliation page.
Our journey: On May 9, 2020, members of St. John’s began to sense a move of God’s Spirit regarding the entrenched systemic racial injustice in our nation. During the discussion of a film on revival, one person expressed pain at the recent police deaths of African Americans and despair over the enduring plague of racism. Another confessed her personal conviction of the sin of white supremacy in her family. She left that week on a pilgrimage of repentance, visiting former slave trading sites from Virginia to Georgia. Two weeks later, protests erupted all over the country in reaction to the death of George Floyd.
Read about the movement of God’s Spirit at St. John’s in May 2020:
When it started: the World Christianity and World Cinema session At the Core: From Cosmic Despair to Cosmic Hope
Jennifer’s testimony: Hope for True Change?
New Haven churches Prayer and protest on June 14
The Micah 6:8 Commitment
On November 18, 2020, St. John’s vestry unanimously voted to adopt the Micah 6:8 Commitment as an integral element of the church’s collective identity.
Resources for prayer and reflection:
A litany of prayers for racial justice
Practicing lament as a spiritual discipline
Racial Justice Resources:
Here you will find a selection of resources chosen and annotated by Jennifer Brown and Michele Sigg, members of St. John’s and co-leaders, along with Shancia Jarrett, of the 4-week ZOOM seminar Seeking Racial Justice, Part 1: Christians Listening.
Blog Post Themes: The St. John’s community blog includes continuously updated categories on the theme of reconciliation and lament.
Life Together 