Dismantling Racism Team
Peace Church UCC, Duluth MN
Our Vision:
Peace Church will incorporate an anti-racist identity on an institutional level, and nurture development of that identity on an individual level. Everyone feels – and is treated – like a vital member of the body of Christ. Our multicultural diversity becomes an asset, in the ongoing struggle to audit, redefine, rebuild, and restructure the relationships and organization of the church. The church’s internal decision-making, power-sharing, and economics are shaped by the anti-racist identity and interwoven with surrounding communities, particularly communities of color. We are a community that works!
A brief history:
1999 - Peace Church members lead the effort to establish the Understanding and Dismantling Racism: An Interfaith Project and to provide anti-racism training through MCARI to area churches.
Fall 2001 - Peace UCC Understanding and Dismantling Racism team commissioned by the congregation.
Spring 2002 - Peace UCC anti-racism team engages in study of church and Duluth history re. racial and ethnic issues; team leads an Adult Forum on our church’s racial history and posts a “Wall of History.”
October 2003 - Peace UCC anti-racism team members are involved with the Clayton Jackson McGhie Memorial Committee and the Dedication ceremony; Peace UCC is a major contributor to the monument.
January 2004 - Peace UCC anti-racism team presents “Privilege Zone” at the worship service on MLK Sunday.
October 2005 - Peace UCC and the Emmaus team of the MN UCC conference sponsor an all-day training.
September 2006 - Peace UCC anti-racism team presents “Nobody is Standing” at the initial worship service of the year-long Social Justice series.
October 2006 - Peace UCC and Community Action-Duluth co-sponsor two ASDIC (Antiracism Study Dialogue Circles) groups.
October 2007 - Peace UCC, Community Action-Duluth, and YWCA co-sponsor two ASDIC groups.
January 2008 - Peace UCC team members lead worship service and give testimony to their ASDIC experiences.
Fall 2008 - DR team members receive training to co-facilitate ASDIC circles.
November 2008 - DR team members attend Victor Lewis training "Healing the Heart of Justice: The Spirit of Diversity Leadership" in St. Paul.
February 2009 - Peace UCC DR team members lead worship service and give testimony to their ASDIC experiences.
October 2008 through May 2009 - Dismantling Team facilitates Sacred Conversations, a series of six.
September and October 2009 - Peace Church hosts art exhibit and lecture series, “Transformations in the Cutover,” featuring Carl Gawboy, American Indian artist and educator.
Winter 2009 and 2010 - Cracking the Shell of Whiteness is offered to Peace Church members.
June 2009 - Members of Peace Church vote to declare ourselves to be a Multiracial, Multicultural, Antiracist congregation.
April 2010 - Dismantling Racism Team conducts a church-wide survey asking for feedback regarding the Multicultural, Multiracial, Antiracist declaration.
September to May 2011 - Immigration issues were the focus for the entire year with various adult forums and evening events.
Winter 2011 - Cracking the Shell of Whiteness is offered to Peace and Pilgrim church members.
January 2012 - Church Council votes to support Peace Church becoming a partner in the Un-Fair Campaign.
February 2012 - Dismantling Racism Team hosts A Feast of Relationship: Racism is the denial of relationship – come together as an act of resistance). a community-wide gathering.
Winter 2012 - Cracking the Shell of Whiteness is offered to Peace Church members and others from the community as part of the Un-Fair Campaign.
July 2012 - Duluth City Council passes ordinance to establish Citizen Review Board for Duluth Police Department. Peace Church and the Dismantling Racism team have supported the task force that worked on this issue for over 5 years. (The Task Force grew out of relationships from ASDIC.)
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