wfn.org | Urban Caucus annual meeting address

[ENS.parti@ecunet.org]

March 7, 1997
Episcopal News Service
Jim Solheim, Director
212-922-5385
ens@ecunet.org

97-1705
Urban Caucus annual meeting addresses racism 

by Barbara Ogilby
      (ENS) Racism was at the top of the agenda at the annual gathering
of the Episcopal Urban Caucus, held this year in Philadelphia, February
5-8.
      This 17-year-old national organization of laity and clergy from
dioceses throughout the church affectionately bills itself as "what's left of
the Left." Concerns heard at the conference included black church
burnings, the preponderance of African-American males in U.S. prisons,
the crisis in urban schools, and cuts in welfare that hurt the poor.
      Conference keynoter Sandra Peters brought the topic of racism to
the forefront in her presentation on the ongoing investigation of the
torching of black churches in the South. Peters is a former member of
the National Council of Churches team investigating these fires; she now
works on racism issues at the Episcopal Church Center in New York and
the Diocese of Massachusetts in Boston.
      Noting that there are more than 150 documented church fires
believed to be caused by arson, Peters charged that many church
burnings go unreported by government authorities and the media. She
accused federal investigators of intimidation and harassment, saying that
some pastors and parishioners of burned churches have been accused of
complicity in the setting fires in their own buildings. 
      Peters expressed concern that the connection between white
supremacist groups and the fires has not been adequately pursued, noting
that some of the young white men arrested in connection with the fires
claim membership in hate groups.

Churches are community centers
      Black churches are community centers in many communities,
Peters said, and destroying them is an attempt to destroy the heart and
soul of a people. While being grateful for monetary donations to rebuild
the burned churches, concerned citizens "need to do more than rebuild
the structures," Peters said.
      "Our country is unwilling to admit to racism--it covers it up,"
Peters said. "Churches have to take the lead in changing public policy."
      In a discussion following her presentation, Peters also touched on
the "prison industry," which she said costs some $32 billion annually,
and the tragedy of overwhelming numbers of black males in prisons
nationwide.
      The caucus members voted to submit a resolution to General
Convention calling for a five-year moratorium on all prison construction
and expansion, and requesting that those funds be used for "economic
development, expansion of government support for children and families,
drug treatment on demand, community service, and a program for victim
restitution."

Programs assist communities
      A workshop led by a Philadelphia organization, Resources for
Change, focused on "Race, Education, and the Urban Mission of the
Church." Margaret Berry and Suzanne Adair-Windley explained their
program of "family group" which involves students, teachers and staffing
at several Philadelphia high schools. The goals of "family group" are to
build relationships and community in schools and to help children
succeed academically, Berry said.
      Caucus members also visited three diocesan congregations that
perform significant ministry in struggling neighborhoods: St. Gabriel's,
Olney; Christ Church & St. Ambrose; and Advocate, North Philadelphia.
      Bishop Barbara Harris, suffragan bishop of Massachusetts and
president of the caucus, spoke of the organization's history and future at
a banquet attended by Bishop Suffragan Franklin Turner, Bishop
Coadjutor-elect Charles Bennison, and other members of the diocese. In
1991, the Episcopal Church said it would concentrate on anti-racism
work," said Harris, but "we see interest waning and apathy" at all levels
of the church.

A need to follow through
      "We are attempting to get the church to follow through in a
significant way on an agenda adopted years ago," Harris said. "Our
original vision will be refined, reshaped and honed to address today's
realities."
      Reciting the myriad challenges facing church and society that the
caucus had spent the day considering, Harris asked, "What is the vision
for American society that will empower the work of justice? . . . How
can our tradition-bound religion be a vehicle for social change?"
      "I am convinced that if the people of God can be transformed and
restructure their lives, so other people will be transformed," Harris said.
In such a way, "the agenda of the civil rights movement becomes the
agenda of the people of God."
      Other resolutions passed by the caucus included a call for the
caucus to develop a plan to lead the church in a celebration of "Jubilee
Year 2000." The caucus also voted to call on General Convention to
endorse the strengthening of existing affirmative action and fair
employment guidelines, and to encourage the use of purchasing power to
support affirmative action.

--Barbara Ogilby is communications officer for the Diocese of
Pennsylvania.