AntiRacism Minute 11/28/21 Donna Starr

 Donna Starr from  Blaine Free Church UU

 

Growing up in Pacific Palisades, California in the 40's and 50's, I had only one occasion that I can remember with an interaction with anyone black.  One day I was surf fishing with my Dad for our dinner.  He had given me a very rare pack of chewing gum, Chicklets, little candy coated pieces.  

 

Down the beach I noticed a little girl who was with her father, also surf fishing for dinner.   I ran to her to offer her a piece of gum.  She looked up at me with abject terror in her eyes and turned to run away, crying.  Her father dropped his pole and ran to comfort her.   Only then did I notice that he was not a white man.  I returned to my  Dad, very confused at why she was scared of ME!

 

Most of life has been spent in monoculture communities.  My experience with the black community is limited, and though I do not think I have a problem with racism, I look forward to attending the anti-racism workshops offered through BUF in later January. 

 

I believe this country has huge problems of disparate justice, education, business practices , and broad historically bound mistakes.   There are questions I have and need to know how to dialogue without mistakenly using racist speech and enlarging my world of understanding. 

AntiRacism Minute 11/7/2021-Naomi Gary

Hi, I’m Naomi Gary and this is my Black Lives MatterSpiritual Awakening moment!

When my first baby was just 6 weeks old, my husband and I travelled back to his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama to visit his family.

It was the first time I’d ever been inside a real authentic Southern Black Church. It was fantastic!

Mount Mariah Missionary Baptist Church is on the corner of Beall and Mildred in the neighborhood calledNorth Pratt. They have a Facebook page and I suggest you find it 

 

It’s also across the street from my husband’s family home. He told me stories of dead bodies laid out on their couch waiting for the funeral. He told me a lot,but actually being in this very spiritual place changed me forever!

Ahhhhh Ummmmmmmmmm AhhhhhhhhUmmmmmmmmm as we walk in there is a deep humming. Everyone is dressed beautifully in bright colors and patterns. The ladies all wear beautiful hats. 

Ahhhhh Ummmmmmmmmm AhhhhhhhhUmmmmmmmmm even my baby starts hummingAhhhhh Ummmmmmmmmm AhhhhhhhhUmmmmmmmmm …I’m in complete awe.

I’m the only white person in this church. I’m the only white person within five miles of this church. Everyone was nice but they stared! It helped me understand how my husband felt most of the time being the only black person in a room back in Southern California.

There was a full band …Piano, organ, drums, electric guitar, etc.  The preacher was almost singing. It all started slowly but came to a crescendo multiple times. People stood up in the aisles and women feinted or as my husband told me “got happy”. Everyone used a decorative paper fan to cool off. The fan was also usedto emphasize what the preacher said. AMEN! The whole service lasted for several hours and everyone participated in one way or the other.

This was the single most spiritual event I have ever participated in…and for everyone else it was just a normal Sunday at church… Black Churches Matter…Black Lives Matter!!!

Team Charter - October 2021

BUF Black Lives Matter

Ministry Action Team Charter

amended October 2021

 

1. Mission and Goals.  Based on the adoption of the Covenant for a Beloved Community at the BUF Congregational meeting on November 15, 2020, The Black Lives Matter Ministry Action Team will plan and undertake actions that journey toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse, multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and in our institutions.

​We acknowledge that injustice and oppression spiritually damage both the oppressed and oppressor. We acknowledge that racism has many targets, and that different forms of racism have developed different histories of stereotyping and oppression. We also acknowledge that racism is linked to other forms of oppression, especially oppressions based on class, gender, and sexual orientation.  

​

​2. Membership. The following eleven people regularly attend business meetings: David Curley, Cat McIntyre, Henry Ohana, Judy Kasper, Lauralee Carbone, Claire Lending, Murray Bennett, Barbara Gilday, Tom Kirchner, Naomi Gary, and AmoretHeise. In addition, we have a mailing list of 47 people and a Rapid Response phone tree of 68 people(including duplicates of mailing list). In October-November 2021, we will survey the mailing list to ascertain whether they want to continue to be on the phone tree, how would they like to be a part of Black Lives Matter Ministry Action Team, and whether they would like to join the leadership of the team.

 

3.  Theological Foundation.  Our team believes we are all one with the universe—what affect one of us affects all of us. We see ourselves in all the UU principles and certainly in the Eighth Priniciple, which BUF has adopted as the Covenant of Beloved Community. Our efforts are based on a commitment to spiritual growth, spiritual wholeness and Beloved Community, to justice, equity and compassion.

 

4.  Mission and Vision:  The BUF Black Lives Matter Ministry Action team supports the SEJC mission by seeking to nurture the social, spiritual and personal development of congregation members in the exploration of how racism and privilege affect our congregation, and our nation.  We acknowledge the targeted violence which impacts black people disproportionately. We work to end racial discrimination and injustice, starting within ourselves and moving out into the world around us.  We support anti-racist congregations and advocate for stopping racist policies like mass imprisonment and attacks on voting rights.  We are committed to harnessing the power of love to dismantle racism and white supremacy across our communities and to creating spaces inclusive of people of all races, ethnicities and cultural backgrounds. We work with many partners in support of the Black Lives Matter movements.

 

5.  Timeline:  We expect to exist until BUF becomes a fully inclusive, anti-racist, multicultural organization in a transformed society. 

 

6.  Measurement of Success.   The Black Lives Matter Ministry Action Team will track and report quarterly to the BUF Social and Environmental Justice Committee (SEJC), describing the nature and number of meetings and events held. We also expect to use the Beloved Covenant audit process annually, and incorporate feedback from BIPOC communities on our effectiveness in reaching our goals.

 

7.  Finances:  The Black Lives Matter Ministry Teamrequest funds from BUF SEJC and from private donors to raise $5,000 for anti-racism and allyship training for the congregation in the year 2021. Members of the team also work with “Beloved Community –It’s in Our Hands” to raise additional grant funding to present the trainings in 2022. 

 

8.  Engaging the Congregation:  Here are our annual objectives for the congregational years July 2021 - June 2024:

 

A. Meet twice a month to (a) review and plan activities, and (b) present an educational program.

B. Engage the congregation in consciousness-raising through Anti-racism Minutes, Sunday forums, sermons, informational handouts, and more. Anti-racism minutes will own that racism hurts all of us, and speakers will share what has changed their lives, their personal growth experiences and how their path.

C. We will sit down with BUF staff twice a year to discuss how we can help each other move toward structural change at BUF, transforming the congregation to an anti-racist, multicultural organization.

D. Partner with community groups such as the Racial Justice Coalition, Whatcom Human Rights Task Force, Juneteenth organizers, and others.

E. Work with BUF children's and adults' Religious Education teams to develop and teach anti-racistprograms; e.g. Widening the Circle, book club selections, films, and discussion topics for communities within BUF.

F. Provide members and leadership for the ministry action team formed to implement the Beloved Community Steering Committee.

G. Conduct a survey of congregation, beginning with the BLM mailing list and the Rapid Response phone tree members to invite people personally to meetings.

H. Create posters, banners, tri-fold brochures, etc. to publicize anti-racist activities, programs and ideals.

I. Create occasional spaces (virtual or physical) for ritual, music, art, literature, and humor that helpbuild a Beloved Community and dismantle racism.

J. Communicate to the congregation via BUF News, BUF MidWeek Update, BUF Black Lives Matter Facebook group, BUF Breeze mailing group, and our blog http://blacklivesmatter.blogspot.com 

 

 

9. Ministry Action Team Requirements:  Actively participate with the Social & Environmental Justice Committee by sending a representative to each of three annual SEJC meetings. Report a summary of your activities and accomplishments to SEJC prior to each meeting.  Abide by subcommittee procedures as developed by the BUF Operations Team.   

 

Does your ministry team agree to meet these requirements?  YES

 

Names of Lead Applicants (minimum 5):  David Curley, Cat McIntyre, Henry Ohana, Judy Kasper, Lauralee Carbone, Claire Lending, Murray Bennett, Barbara Gilday, Tom Kirchner, Naomi Gary, AmoretHeise

                                                                                                                          

Primary Contact and their contact information: Cat McIntyre, mcintyrec45@gmail.com

 

Application (or Renewal) Date: November 1, 2021

 

Charter Application Approval date:  __________SEJC      _________BUF Operations Team      

Business Meeting Minutes 11/1/21

 Minutes - Business/Planning Meeting

November 1, 2021

 

 

Present: Murray Bennett, Michael Brunt, Lauralee Carbone, David Curley, Brenda Dundas, Naomi Gary, Judy Kasper, Tom Kirchner, Claire Lending, Cat McIntyre, and Donna Starr

 

We welcomed our visitors from Blaine and Mt. Vernon, Donna and Brenda

 

Anti-Racism Minutes:  

         Nov. 7       Naomi Gary       

         Nov. 14     David Curley

         Nov. 21     Henry Ohana (added after meeting)

         Nov. 28     Donna Starr

         Dec. 5       Claire Lending

 

The speaker should remember to alert the person running the service on or before the Wednesday before the service that they will give the anti-racism minute at the service. Also, send the script of their minute after the service to Lauralee Carbone and Deb Cruz to publish in Midweek Update and on blog.

 

Program Meeting.  The program meeting on November 8 will be the RadioLab podcast, “The Vanishing of Harry Pace,” on Zoom. We will be able to listen to it together during the meeting. For December, we would like to have a conversation about anti-racism and Beloved Community more broadly, following up on a discussion that began during our October retreat. We will also get to know more about our neighbor congregations, Blaine and Skagit.

 

January Training: The first training will take place the last two Saturdays in January, and may be compressed into two, four-and-a-half hour trainings by zoom. The contract with Courtney Wooten is in process. Also in process is another grant which would allow both trainings to be free. As soon as information is complete, notifications will go out. We expect to encourage participation by personal invitations. 

 

Follow up to October Retreat.

-       Survey of 46 people on BUF Black Lives Matter mailing list is underway by Naomi and Henry. Naomi reports some initial feedback:

o   People appreciate getting minutes when they are unable to make it to meetings

o   Monday nights don’t work well for some

o   Most believe Black Lives Matter at BUF is important

o   Some did not feel our meetings were as welcome as other social justice groups they attended

o   In general, they were happy to get a call from us (this may be something worth repeating a couple times a year

Cat reported that she had heard from Henry that some members feel that Black Lives Matter is too narrow a focus, and that we might expand, for example, for anti-racism minutes to include other SEJC groups concerned about anti-racism.

 

We decided to try this for December, with each Sunday anti-racism moment from another group (Community to Community, Immigrant rights, Native American connections, and Black Lives Matter) as an experiment.

 

-       Charter. Our new charter is nearly complete, based on discussions during the retreat. It includes a new list of activities we wish to address over the next three years. It is attached to these minutes. Also attached is the anti-racism minute given to the congregation the Sunday following the retreat.

 

-       New facilitator(s). Cat will be moving to Tacoma in the spring and asked to be replaced as a facilitator of the group. She would like someone named soon so she can pass on all the records accumulated over the past four years.

 

-       Meeting with Paul. David would like to begin the twice yearly meetings with Rev. Paul and BUF staff to discuss what we are planning, what we need from them and what they need for us.

 

Next Program Meetings on Zoom: 7 pm on both November 8 and Dec. 13

Next Business Planning Meeting on zoom:  Dec 6, 6 pm

AntiRacism Minute 10/31/21 - Lauralee Carbone

 

Good morning,

I’m Lauralee Carbone and I’m a member of the BUF Black Lives Matter Ministry Action Team. We meet for business on the 1^st Monday of each month and for our programming on the 2^nd Monday of each month via zoom, and we’d love to see you log on! Together, we will listen to and discuss, “The Vanishing of Harry Pace,” a RadioLab podcast. The Vanishing of Harry Pace is a series about the phenomenal but forgotten man who changed America. Harry Pace founded Black Swan Records, in 1920. It was Motown before Motown; it launched the career of Ethel Waters, inadvertently invented the term rock n roll, inspired Ebony and Jet magazines, and helped desegregate the South Side of Chicago in an epic Supreme Court battle. Then, Harry Pace disappeared.

In addition to providing these AntiRacism Moments each week to raise the consciousness of our congregation, our charter also reminds us to reach out to the community at large to raise Bellingham and beyond’s consciousness. We did this recently when we gathered funds and bought 10 copies of Heather McGhee’s book, THE SUM OF US, to make a book kit at our local library. What struck me most about this book is its emphasis on the economic impact of the entire economy, not just black lives, when racism prevails. She illustrates with example after example the core dysfunction of our democracy and the moral crises that grip us all. It’s a story of how public goods in this country--from parks and pools to schools--have become private luxuries. She talks of the benefits we gain when people come together across race to accomplish what we simply can’t do on our own. She analyzes how when we are divided we are self-destructive, materially rich but spiritually starved and vastly unequal, through humble stories of people yearning to be part of a better America, leaving us with a new vision for a future in which we finally realize that life can be more than a zero-sum game.

Thank you,