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Skills for the Beloved Community

Seeing the Face of God in Each Other

November 3-6, 2010, in Martinsburg, West Virginia, Arnold Gee (St. Andrew's / Shippenburg) and Presbytera Susan Hinton (St. Paul's / Wellsboro) participated in Seeing the Face of God in Each Other, an Anti-Racism / Training-the-Trainer event for Province III conducted by the Rev. Jayne Jones Oasin.

Mr. Gee said, "The Episcopal Church recognizes that Racism keeps us from harmony with each other and with God. In acknowledging that Racism is a sin, the onus is on each of us, as children of God, to find it in ourselves and combat it." Mr. Gee and the Rev. Canon Greg Hinton (St. Paul's / Wellsboro, Northern Tier) co-chair the Bishop's Commission on Racism. Said Cn. Hinton, "Seeing the Face of God in Each Other was developed to assist dioceses to comply with General Convention mandates first adopted in 1991 and affirmed by successive Conventions. Arnold and Susan (with many others' prayers) went to this event so we could continue training ordinands and other new leaders, as we are required to do."

Mrs. Hinton reported, "At one of the first segments of the training, Jayne asked us what we hoped to accomplish in our work together. I went to Martinsburg to find out why Seeing the Face of God in Each Other might be something people in our Diocese would choose to participate in, whether mandated or not. I went with some trepidation! But I was surprised to learn that these trainings are not about whether-- or to what extent-- any individual is (or is not) 'racist,' or 'A Racist.' This program is about re-creating a community in the image in which our one, true, Holy God created it-- not limited by unexamined, institutional remnants of Racism!

"It is also not about learning how to be 'nicer,' or more 'politically correct.' It is not about being sorry enough, or who has suffered more. It is about learning the skills necessary to bring about that Kingdom (Martin Luther King called it 'The Beloved Community'), which Jesus modeled and which He requires of us in the Gospel. It is about working together to build up that community, with more than just our good intentions to go up against a complicated mess of interlocking issues. Our ground rules included: remembering that people are doing their best to participate in dialogue and to behave in an anti-racist way; not demeaning, devaluing, or trivializing anyone or any group for their experiences or perspectives; acknowledging that one of the consequences of racism is systemic misinformation circulating about all groups of people; appreciating how we are different.

"Seeing the Face of God in Each Other offers prayerful, Godly approaches to working together in that effort. It was unlike any other training event I had ever attended. I found myself energized, affirmed, edified, and informed."

Seeing the Face of God in Each Other requires its trainers to:

1. Learn how to plan, organize, and present the program;
2. Co-lead at least one training with mentoring trainers;
3. Work with other trained Team members to keep training fresh and develop their skills;
4. Plan an outreach strategy to assist their diocese's leaders to comply with the GC mandates;
5. Assess how the program is moving participants and their diocese toward measurable standards.

Mr. Gee, Lead Trainer for the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania, is looking forward to participating in the Diocese of Pittsburgh's March 4-5 and Oct. 7-8 training events. He and Mrs. Hinton have been invited to attend Province III's May, 2011 meeting for Anti-Racism trainers on behalf of the Diocese.

The Commission will continue to network with Province III mentors, and explore how to reach compliance standards and provide local trainings. For more information about standards and training opportunities, please contact the Commission via its acting secretary, Presbytera Susan Hinton.

Susan Hinton (Training Coord.) and Arnold Gee (Lead Trainer)
(L-R, foreground), at Martinsburg, W. VA, November 3-6, 2010.
Photo, Nancy Travis Bolden.

Participants working together toward trainers'
certification at Martinsburg, W. VA, Nov. 3-6, 2010.
Photo, Nancy Travis Bolden.