Sacred Ground, an intensive curriculum offered by the Episcopal Church about race and racism, has been the focus of small group studies at Church of the Servant. Click on the image for more information.
Racial Equity Movement
The Racial Equity Movement at Church of the Servant is focused on racial justice and healing beginning with our parish and expanding into the wider community. This group was formed in response to the Vestry decision in 2022 to focus on racial justice. We understand that this essential work will be an ongoing mission throughout the life of our church. We agree we are called by God to embrace this work as directed in our Baptismal Covenant.
Our Vision:
A church in which members are actively seeking education and spiritual growth in matters pertaining to racial equity and discerning how and where this knowledge is utilized to best serve the needs of our community.
Our Mission:
To follow the Episcopal Church's Becoming Beloved Community directives whereby we commit to racial justice, healing, and reconciliation.
To achieve our mission, we will:
Educate ourselves using
- Sacred Ground curriculum which teaches us the true history of Black, Latino, Indigenous, and Asian American and Pacific Islander citizens.
- Dr. Catherine Meeks' book of meditations "The Night is Long but Light Comes in the Morning" which awakens us to the need for racial healing within ourselves and recognizes this as an integral step towards reconciliation.
- Guest speakers who work for racial equity in our local Black/People of Color communities.
- Our church library of racial justice and equity books.
Discern our role in racial equity work as a parish by studying the questions posed in the Becoming Beloved Community initiatives provided by the Episcopal Church leadership and simultaneously determining action plans.
Support changes in our parish to make our church a place where all feel welcome as they are. We will support our local Black/People of Color communities both financially and in ways that the communities we strive to serve deems appropriate.
Racial Equity Movement is focused on finding activities and engaging with communities in our area that further the mission of racial equity while representing COS, leveraging the time and talents of the church and this group.
2026 has been a busy year for the our group!
Racial Equity Movement Activities and Events 2026
- January 17: Rachel Williamson partnered with Julie Potter of YWCA to facilitate Decentering Whiteness workshop Part 1.
- February 12: Four members of Church of the Servant attended ICE watcher training offered by Siembra, hosted by St. Luke AME Zion.
- February 15: Laura Hickey and Rachel Williamson attended Absalom Jones service at St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church in Fayetteville.
- February 22: Adult Spiritual Life Formation - presentation by J’vanete Skiba, Director of NHC Resiliency Task Force -Several members of COS then participated in Souls to the Polls.
- March 4-7: Alfreda Gee, Rev Jody Greenwood and Rachel Williamson participated in Episcopal Church Peer Networking Conference in Charlotte where we attended the presentations on the racial justice track.
- March 28: Rachel Williamson facilitated Decentering Whiteness part 2 at YWCA.
- April 24: Twelve members of COS attended the Jazz Concert and fundraiser at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church.
- August 8: New Hanover County NAACP and Black Voters Matter phone bank training hosted by COS and attended by several members.
Ongoing:
- Adult Spiritual Life Formation programming: Led by Mary Ellen Stokes, Adult Spiritual Life Formation will incorporate racial equity themes into each season’s adult education offerings.
- Fall /Winter Sacred Ground Circle: Facilitated by Pam Keeney and Laura Schultz, COS members continue offering Sacred Ground training for Cos members and the community.
Upcoming:
- October 22: COS hosts YWCA - Conversations for Peace
- October 25: COS participates in Souls to the Polls
Learn more about past events we pariticated in: Racial Equity Movement - Community Engagement - 2024-2025
If you have any questions regarding Racial Equity Movement, please contact Rachel Williamson at edwrbw@gmail.com.
Read more about:
- Becoming Beloved Community
- Sacred Ground, A Film-Based Dialogue Series on Race & Faith
- Video titled “The Church Cracked Open: The Challenge of Beloved Community” In this video Dr. Catherine Meeks, Executive Director of the Absalom Jones Center for Racial Healing and the Rev. Canon Stephanie Spellers, Canon for Evangelism and Reconciliation for the Most Rev. Michael Curry, Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church, discuss how the pandemic and the reckoning with white supremacy could be a blessing for the Church, opening a way to living with greater love and justice. The discussion is framed by the themes of the latest book by Canon Spellers The Church Cracked Open: Disruption, Decline, and New Hope for Beloved Community.
COS was named “Church of the Year” at the New Hanover County NAACP’s MLK breakfast. This is not only an honor, but an on-going responsibility and commitment to this work in our community.
