Becoming Beloved Community at Redeemer

In this episode we are sharing a Becoming Beloved Community Teach-In from the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio. Led by facilitator, Amy Howton, Becoming Beloved Community Coordinator for the diocese, this Teach-In was a time of story-sharing from across the diocese, including our Rector, Philip DeVaul. Listen as a reminder that this work is larger than Church of the Redeemer, it spans across the diocese and the Episcopal Church.

In this episode, host Anny Stevens-Gleason again sits down with Megan Hughes Johnson to discuss Church of the Redeemer's long-term commitment to racial healing, reconciliation, and justice through Becoming Beloved Community. Megan shares the fall programming offerings, a new Becoming Beloved Community Action Team formed as part of our Mission Ministry and what this work has meant to our worshiping community since beginning it a year and a half ago. As Megan says, "this this work of understanding race and racism in our country and understanding the role that we as Christians need to play in bringing about racial justice and racial equity is more important now than ever."

Steve Carlton-Ford teaches Sociology at University of Cincinnati and is a member of the Becoming Beloved Community Steering Committee at Church of the Redeemer. In this episode, Steve joins Anny Stevens-Gleason and shares his experience of visiting South Africa last spring. Since this visit, Steve has been reflecting on the comparison of the results of the work of reconciliation done over the past 25 years post-apartheid in South Africa and the work we have accomplished since the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S. in the 1960s. Steve reminds us that social change takes a long time and notes that both countries still have a long way to go.

In this episode, we share a sermon from our Rector, the Rev. Philip DeVaul. In his sermon, Philip shares that we are often called to not just blindly accept what God is telling us but to wrestle with God, to push back, to fight back, to fight for our lives. And that our struggle, our striving and our wrestling are not separate from our connectedness to God. They are instead intrinsic and central to that connectedness to God.

Here at Church of the Redeemer we have been sharing our stories of inspiration. So to learn our story, Redeemer's story and live into Beloved Community. The relationships built here inspire us to live differently in the world. The life we share here inspires us to take Jesus' love to everyone we meet. Here are a few stories from those in our community.

Church of the Redeemer parishioner, Maggie Gough, sits down with Anny Stevens-Gleason to discuss the pain and messiness of change and growth. Through our work with Becoming Beloved Community, Redeemer hopes to provide a space for people to share. A place where we can be safe and vulnerable. A place where we can support each other in this difficult work through deep listening and openness to learning.

In their discussion of the baggage each of us carries, Maggie expressed this desire:

"I just want to say, this is my baggage, this is my experience and I am literally carrying it. And right in this moment, all I want to do is set it down. In order for me to set it down, I want to be able to tell you about it. I need you to say, 'Oh, I see your baggage. That's heavy baggage. That's hard.' And that's it."

Anny Stevens-Gleason talks with Beth Bojarski, a self-proclaimed environmental activist, mother and wife of our Associate for Youth and Young Adults, the Rev. Mitchell Bojarski, Beth serves on our Becoming Beloved Community steering committee. As a member of the committee, Beth has also been a part of the diocesan Becoming Beloved Community Learning Journey and she sat down with Anny to discuss what she has learned so far.

Beth shares that mostly she has learned that she has a lot to learn. Having lived most of her life in largely white spaces, she finds that she needs to unlearn previously thought patterns, and have grace for herself. "I'm learning grace. I'm learning how to push myself. I'm learning how far we have to go culturally, in the church, in Cincinnati, in our country. I'm learning how deep the hurt is for other people."

Don't miss this episode for a deeper look at the Becoming Beloved Community journey.

The Rt. Rev. Thomas Breidenthal, Bishop of the Episcopal Church in Southern Ohio, joins Anny Stevens-Gleason for this month's Becoming Beloved Community podcast. Bishop Breidenthal shares his experience with racial reconciliation and the need for the Becoming Beloved Community journey. He speaks of his participation in the same-sex marriage wrestling the Episcopal Church has done over the past years. And he explains his dislike for the word, inclusion. He concludes by challenging us to what he believes to be the first step in Becoming Beloved Community, to learn to talk to each other so that we can witness to others.

Anny Stevens-Gleason, our Minister for Worship and Incorporation, at Church of the Redeemer, welcomes Kate Haralson to the Becoming Beloved Community podcast. Kate is a current vestry member as well as a part of the Becoming Beloved Community steering committee. Kate, along with other members of the steering committee, have been a part of the broader Diocese of Southern Ohio's learning journey to form a community of practice around Becoming Beloved Community. In this podcast, Kate discusses this experience as well as the recent Diocesan Convocation with keynote speaker, the Rev. Canon Stephanie Spellers, the Presiding Bishop's Canon for Evangelism, Reconciliation and Creation. Kate calls us, as a worshiping community, deeper into this uncomfortable work of seeking truth and ultimately repairing the breach. Redeemer, are we ready to walk this walk?

This week, Anny speaks with Brad Gough, Minister for Families, on the recent trip to the National Underground Railway Museum and Freedom Center. Hear directly from some of the youth who went about what they learned and experienced.