Sharing Our Stories: Race and Racism

https://psu.zoom.us/meeting/95827283226

Guiding Prompt: Please tell us about a time when race or racism made an impression on you and
how this experience might have connected with your journey in faith, or if it connected at all.

These past months have brought attention to many divisions and disparities in our country – divisions based on
race, economic status, power, authority, and privilege, to name only a few. For some, these disparities have
long been felt as an ever-present reality; for others, the depth and breadth of these disparities is new and
surprising. For all, these divisions and disparities are difficult and painful.
In the midst of division, it is easy to talk past each other, waiting for an opportunity to say our piece, not really
hearing the voice of our neighbor and, in turn, not feeling heard ourselves. St. Andrew’s would like to hold a
series of “listening circles” to help us draw on the strength of our community to help us address the challenges
of the day. After the time of listening there will be an opportunity to reflect on what we have heard.
Listening circles allow people the opportunity to express their thoughts and feelings and can help people from
different social locations develop a sense of mutual understanding and support. Our listening circles will focus
on a guiding question or prompt and each person will have one to five minutes (depending on how many people
are present) to share their experience. The person speaking is free to share as much or as little of their
experience as is comfortable. No one is required to speak, but all who wish to speak will have an
opportunity. We listen respectfully to the speaker when it is not our turn, our stories are about us and we do not
comment on other people’s stories while sharing, and we keep other people’s stories private.
The first Sharing our Stories event will focus on the topic of race. While we hope to have many opportunities to
share our stories in the future, this first listening event is a bit of an experiment. We look forward to feedback
that people have to offer and plan to make decisions about next steps based on the response to the first Sharing
our Stories “Circle”.
Please email Christina Ford at tapspy@hotmail.com if you would like to attend or if you have an idea for a
future Sharing our Stories topic that you would like to participate in.