Sacred Ground: A Film-Based Dialogue on Race and Faith

Photo by Erez Attias on Unsplash

Sacred Ground is a film- and reading-based dialogue series on race and faith. Participants will walk together through America’s history of race and racism, while weaving in the threads of family story, economic class, and political and regional identity. It’s an invitation for small groups to gather to learn, share, and prepare to become Beloved Community.

“Sacred Ground is a time and opportunity to hear the story of our past with regard to race, to hear our stories of our pasts,” said The Most Rev. Michael Curry, Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church. “By listening to those stories and hearing them, and then telling our own stories together, and then looking possibly at the stories of our very faith, somehow, from the travail and the reality of all of those stories may emerge hope for a new day.”

Built around a curriculum of powerful documentary films, videos, and readings, this 10-part series considers some of the major chapters of the United States of America’s history of race and racism. It focuses on Indigenous, Black, Latino, and Asian American histories as they intersect with European American histories. Participants are invited to peel away the layers that have contributed to challenges and divides in the present day – all with a deep foundation in faith and love.

While not specifically written for young people and youth groups, the material is accessible and relevant and can easily be adapted for your young people.

Created by Katrina Browne, producer and director of the documentary Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North, this small group resource is part of Becoming Beloved Community, The Episcopal Church’s long-term commitment to racial healing, reconciliation, and justice in our personal lives, our ministries, and our society. Sacred Ground is especially targeted to help white people talk with each other about racism past and present, their own racial identity, and the interwoven issues of class, region, and ideology.

Thinking About Programs

Are you thinking about adding new structure to your church youth program this fall? Whether you are creating something new, or fine-tuning well-established programming, here are some thoughts to help steer your planning, adapted from resources offered by Elizabeth Barker Ring, a consultant for formation and leadership in the Episcopal Diocese of Maine:

1.) Keep flexibility in mind. Your curriculum should serve as a helping-hand in the process of forming and asking open-ended, invitational questions. The process of making and asking of questions together helps young people build a community of trust with each other.

2.) Be mindful to places where you can center your programs in prayer. Think of prayer as an invitation to youth to lay what is on their hearts and minds on the table without needing to discuss it. The prayer can stem from a piece of scripture from the lectionary, or an invitation to some shared action in the community.

3.) Start with whatever is on the hearts and minds of the youth; this way they can respond to you confidently from the fullness of their faith.

Episcopal Church Resources

New Model Policy for Safeguarding our Children & Young People
In April 2018, a task force of the Episcopal Church released an updated "Model Policy for the Protection of Children and Youth" . The group also wrote a " Model Policy for the Protection of Vulnerable Adults ." This work was launched in 2015 by a resolution of General Convention, and over the next 2 and a half years, experts and practitioners from around the country worked on the update.

Digital Communication and Social Media Guidelines
Published by the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts and updated in 2017, this document provides guidance to clergy and congregational leadership in their use of digital/electronic technology and social media.

TED Talk Lenten Study
This curriculum was developed by the Diocese of Massachusetts Office of Youth Ministry and isn't just for Lent, but instead can be used during any 5-session program in which you want to use engaging TED Talks and Scripture to invite youth (and adults) to wonder about what God is asking from them.  Download HERE.

Episcopal Church Youth Ministry
Information, resources and news about youth from the denomination (formerly known as the 'National Church').

d365.org
Daily devotions set to music, with reflections and questions suitable for youth and adults!

My Faith, My Life
A guide to the Episcopal Church for teens and their families and mentors. Great resources, reflections and information about upcoming workshops-- the basis for the website is the book, My Faith, My Life, which has been used for Confirmation curricula.