The Committee for Racial Healing (CFRH)
Mission Statement:
“To actively engage Trinity Episcopal Church and others in the community in addressing racism
by the creation, development and implementation of sustainable programs and projects designed to
dismantle racism, utilizing educational and advocacy tools.”
​
The Trinity Committee for Racial Healing (CFRH) was formed in August 2020. The fourteen members bring diverse backgrounds and perspectives to plan for long-term sustainability.
​
The Committee for Racial Healing (CFRH) is one of the lesser-known ministries at Trinity because much of the work it does is not readily visible.
There are several reasons to have such a committee. First, to help build a beloved community by practicing Jesus’ Way of Love. The Becoming Beloved Community vision is a practical and theological framework guiding Episcopalians into racial healing, justice and reconciliation. It is a positive and biblically based ideal – a dream toward which we strive, and not just something we are against.
A second reason is to remind others of our Baptismal Promise: to strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity every human being.
Another reason is to be the resource for Trinity’s work to dismantle racism. Racism is defined as “the belief that different races possess distinct abilities, or qualities, especially so as to distinguish them as inferior or superior to one another.”
Trinitarians can help with the work of the CFRH in several ways, as listed below:
​
-
Practice Jesus’ Way of Love.;
-
Increase awareness about anti-racism through reading books in the Trinity Library.;
-
Participate in events and training to increase awareness of diverse groups;
-
Talk to people about racism. For example, an uncle who tells racist jokes at family gatherings or a friend who wishes people didn’t have to be angry about equality.; and
-
Contact Jean Hunt at email dehunt14@msn.com if you have any questions relating to the CFRH and/or would be interested in joining.
The CFRH is divided into four teams: the Education Team, the Outreach Team, the Mobilization Team, and the History Team.
​
The Education Team offers reviews of books to share with parishioners in the Trinity Newsletter and recommends books on anti-racism and racial healing for the church library.
See below for a link to books recommended by the Education Team:
​
For a list of children’s books, click here.
For a list of middle grade and young adult books, click here.
For a list of adult books, click here.
Additionally, the Education Team periodically provides reviews of books in the Trinity Newsletter. The full list of reviews can be found in the Trinity Library.
For the list of books reviewed, click here.
The Outreach Team is to reach out to racially diverse churches in the Fredericksburg area and beyond to listen to their efforts in dismantling racism, including a visit to a Sunday morning service at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Spotsylvania County.
​
The Mobilization Team helped initiate several events for the congregation, including:
​
-
Parish Zoom: How to be Anti-Racist;
-
Lenten Series Parish Read: “Radical Welcome” by Rev. Canon Stephanie Spellers;
3. Parish Zoom: Prayerful (Difficult) Conversations; and
4. A Visit to the Meyer Fine Art Museum for a special tour of the Robert Duncanson exhibit which featured landscape painting locations of the Underground Railroad.
​
The History Team led the writing of a History Report completed in January 2024, as directed by the Diocese of Virginia. A copy of the report is in the Trinity Library.
​
5. The Radical Welcome Action Team implements some of the suggestions from the 2024 Lenten Series participants’ parish read of Rev. Canon Spellers’ book, “Radical Welcome” in five congregation areas:
a. Mission & Vision;
b. Identity;
c. Ministries & Relationships;
d. Leadership & Feedback; and
e. Worship.​
​
People can join the committee by contacting one of the CFRH members (listed below) or call the Trinity Church office phone number at (540) 373-2996.
Jim Carlock – Chairperson
Jean Hunt – Vice Chairperson
Wendell Anderson
Ruth Brancolini
Sylvia (Sam) Burton
Lucretia Edreos
Val Folden
Selby McCash
M.C. Morris
Priscilla Barlow Rakestraw
Kirk Richardson
Karla Snelling
Carol Walker
Alda White
The best contact for the CFRH is Jean Hunt at email: dehunt14@msn.com.
​​​
The CFRH encourages accessing the following links for more events and information/opportunities:
The University of Mary Washington’s James Farmer Cultural Center https://students.umw.edu/multicultural/programs/
The Diocese of Virginia Racial Justice and Healing
https://www.thediocese.net/resources/ministries/racial-justice-and-healing/​
​
“I’ve learned three things since being on the Trinity Committee for Racial Healing. First, I’ve learned that institutional racism is worse than I could ever have imagined. There are laws, policies and practices designed in the past to deny people of color benefits or rights granted to White Americans, such as Veterans Affairs (VA) loans. Fortunately, this one has been changed to grant equality for all.
​
The second thing I’ve learned is that our diocese, the Diocese of Virginia, considers racism a sin. I’ve learned that leading the Trinity Committee for Racial Healing is the main reason why the Holy Spirit led me to be a part of Trinity. Last, but not least, I also believe the Holy Spirit spoke to the Senior Warden in 2020 when she asked me to head up this ministry. As in the Old Testament in the Book of Esther, her uncle Mordecai told her, ‘Who knows why the Lord raised you up for such a time as this.’ The training and experience I had in my career has been put to good use in developing a plan to dismantle racism here at Trinity. if we do our part and others do their part, then we’ll get through this together.”
-Jim Carlock
Our Latest Book Review
Every month, the CFRH writes a book review over a text that examines race in society.
Black and Episcopalian: the Struggle for Inclusion by The Reverend Gayle Fisher-Stewart, Publisher: Church Publishing, Inc., 161 pages.
​
“This book does not stop at history. Rather the history gives way to hard theological/faith decisions regarding being “White” or “Christian,” and more pointedly, being “Black and Episcopalian.” This latter decision is at the heart of this book, as it is a story not only of how the Church has or has not included Black people, but also whether Black people should want to be included….Black and Episcopalian is a story of truth that Becoming Beloved Community, the call of the Episcopal Church, demands.”
From “Forward” written by:
The Very Rev. Dr. Kelly Brown Douglas
Episcopal Divinity School at Union
Theological Seminary
​
From a strong voice in the dialogue about what Black Lives Matter means in relation to faith, a powerful lament and a hopeful message about the future. Historically, to be Episcopal/Anglican, as it was to be American, was to be White. Assimilation to whiteness has been a measure of success and acceptance, yet, assimilation requires that people of color give up something of themselves and deny parts of their heritage including religious practices that sustained their ancestors.
​
Despite the fact that Blackness is on display during Black History Month for example, and Black/African heritage is given primacy in the liturgy, music, and preaching during that time, at other times this doesn't seem to be the case. The author argues that Whiteness is embedded in every aspect of religious life, from seminary to Christian education to last rites. “Is it possible to be Black and Episcopalian and not feel alien?”, she asks. In her words we learn that inclusivity, above all, must be authentic.
​
About the Author: The Reverend Gayle Fisher-Stewart currently serves as the Interim Rector at the historically Black St. Luke Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. Prior to becoming ordained, she served with the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington D.C., and later taught at the university level while consulting with local and federal government agencies. She lives in Maryland.
Unveiling the Mystery About The Committee for Racial Healing
The Committee for Racial Healing (CFRH) is one of the lesser-known ministries at Trinity because much of the work it does is not readily visible. The questions and answers below are intended to unveil some of the “mystery” about the Committee.
Q. Why does Trinity have a CFRH?
There are several reasons. One reason is to help build a beloved community by practicing Jesus’ Way of Love. The Becoming Beloved Community vision is a practical and theological framework guiding Episcopalians into racial healing, justice and reconciliation. It is a positive and biblically based ideal – a dream toward which we strive, and not just something we are against.
A second reason is to remind others of our Baptismal Promise: to strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity every human being.
Another reason is to be the resource for Trinity’s work to dismantle mantle racism. Racism is defined as “the belief that different races possess distinct abilities, or qualities, especially so as to distinguish them as inferior or superior to one another.”
Q. What has the CFRH actually done?
In the past two and a half years the CFRH has sponsored training on antiracism and participating in prayerful (courageous) conversations about race; reached out to predominantly Black churches for fellowship and understanding; written a number of articles for the Trinity Newsletter such as reviews about books on antiracism and the contributions of people of various races; and currently performing research to develop a history report about Trinity’s role in dismantling racism and showing the love of Christ to all people.
Q. When will the work of the CFRH be finished?
The work of the CFRH is ongoing and will continue until the Beloved Community is established throughout the world.
Q. What does It mean to be “Woke”?
The term “woke” was first used among the African-American community to mean “aware of and actively attentive to important societal facts and issues, especially issues of racial and social justice.” It has become known in a way by some that is considered unreasonable or extreme.
Q. How can members of Trinity help with the work of the CFRH?
Trinitarians can help with the work of the CFRH in several ways, as listed below.
1.Practice Jesus’ Way of Love.;
2.Increase awareness about anti-racism through reading books in the Trinity Library.;
3.Participate in events and training sponsored by the CFRH;
4.Talk to people about racism. For example, an uncle who equality tells racist jokes at family gatherings or a friend who wishes people didn’t have to be angry about equality.; and
5.Contact Jean Hunt at email dehunt14@msn.com you have any questions relating to the CFRH.
Trinity: A Brief History Through The Lens of Racial Justice and Healing
Trinity's Committee for Racial Healing is happy to share our recently released report: Trinity Episcopal Church - A Brief History through the Lens of Racial Justice and Healing. Prompted by the Diocese of Virginia's Ministry for Racial Justice and Healing, as outlined in the preface of the report, our committee's History Team opted to broaden the scope of the report. While fulfilling the diocesan request, we also aimed for a report that is representative of the overall focus and life of our parish. It is not an exhaustive report, but we believe that it provides a largely representative view of our parish priorities, activities, and evolution over our 147-year history, while also describing Trinity's efforts and responses regarding racial justice and healing throughout our history.
​
The read the rest of this piece and view the full report,