Sacred Ground is a film and readings based dialogue series on race, grounded in faith. Small groups are invited to walk through chapters of America’s history of race and racism, while weaving in threads of family story, economic class, and political and regional identity. The 10-part series is built around a powerful online curriculum of documentary films and readings that focus on Indigenous, Black, Latino, and Asian/Pacific American histories as they intersect with European American histories. Learn more here.
If you are interested in future groups, please sign up below or email Director of Christian Formation Cheryl Kelley for information. Ten members of Grace have already completed the course, and found it both edifying and transformative:
The numerous resources and conversations of the Sacred Ground series set led each of us in our parish group on a journey of ever deepening understanding, an appreciation of the continued “inner” and “outer” work ahead. All of us came away hoping to move beyond implicit racism and white privilege toward “Becoming the Beloved Community” that awaits all people, of all colors, cultures, and faiths. I am so grateful for this outstanding opportunity to engage seriously these hard questions. It is no less than the absolute heart of Christianity.
Betsy PowellI highly recommend everyone participate in the journey that is Sacred Ground. I thought I knew U.S. History and some of it’s dark secrets but I was surprised at how much I did not know. I really felt like the Biblical plank had been removed from my eye so I could see. The material is thought provoking while never beating you over the head. I have been changed for the better after taking this journey.
Beth NeidenbachIbram X Kendi proposes that the core of racism is denial. If you think “But I’m not racist,” as I did about 4 years ago, Sacred Ground can expand your awareness of and knowledge about the church’s and society’s historical racism, and how it continues on in contemporary life. Becoming anti-racist requires study and discernment. Sacred Ground has benefited my soul better than all the Formation I tried to do on my own. The Sacred Ground group is a safe space to learn and grow.
Anita SmithSacred Ground revealed so much history that was never mentioned, or at best was glossed over, in all my years of education. The complicity of our ancestors with slavery and genocide of the indigenous populations of what became the USA was heartbreaking, and unfortunately set the stage for much of the racial tensions we are currently witnessing. I became much more aware of the influence of “white privilege” in my own experience, and the results of the lack of that privilege in the lives of our nonwhite brothers and sisters. I realize that we have a very long journey to get to the “beloved community” that should be our goal as professed followers of Jesus.
David Westfall
They say parenting is one of our most important tasks—a task that’s often both exhilarating and exhausting, magical and maddening, and our efforts sometimes seem both laudable and laughable…all in one day!! If this sounds familiar, this class is for you!
We gather together to support one another in our parenting endeavors, and explore different ways to parent with more mindfulness and grace. We seek to understand ourselves better, so that we can better understand our children, and be better equipped to help them become the people they were created to be.
Email Director of Christian Formation Cheryl Kelley for information.
Centering Prayer is a contemplative method of prayer that facilitates opening the mind and heart to God. It includes a time of silent prayer followed by reflection and sharing. Our Centering Prayer group is sharing time together on Zoom on Mondays at 5:00 PM! All are welcome.
The link to Centering Prayer is located in the ON THE CALENDAR section of the email newsletter.
Come join us for prayer chair or flow yoga classes each week via zoom. Chair yoga meets on Mondays at 2:45 and flow yoga meets Mondays at 3:45 PM or Thursdays from 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM. With COVID and some still sheltering in these days, our classes have become a wonderful support group for each other. It is always nice to “see” faces! The classes are free and open to anyone. New participants welcome and no experience is necessary.
Links to yoga are located in the the ON THE CALENDAR section of the email newsletter. Please join the zoom meeting just prior to your class and mute your feed during class so all can hear the instructor.
Explore some different prayer practices all designed to help us stay grounded, to be mindful, to practice gratitude, to notice the things that bring us joy, and to pay attention to the work of the Spirit in and among us.
To help facilitate our work to better understand issues of racism and justice, we’ve compiled a list of resources you might explore. There are resources for all ages, and in many different formats – books, movies, webinars, blogs, podcasts, websites, and more.
Imagine a renewed approach to online worship through music, visual art, and spoken word. All are invited to join the Diocese of Atlanta as we make Jesus the center of our lives. The monthly video series, Imagine Church, is offered on the fourth Sunday of each month at 7:00 PM. You can watch on the Imagine Church website. There you will find a program for each service, a reflection guide, and a space to chat with the other viewers.
Even if we can’t physically worship and learn together, we can still draw closer to Jesus Christ. That’s the aim of a learning experience called “This is NOT Sunday School.” This free, weekly online resource is intergenerational, making it a perfect tool for families and people of all ages. Each week’s free session features video teaching by a professional from the Christian formation network, Forma, as well as downloadable lessons and readings.
In life, we go through movements. These movements (reality, grief, hope, faith, and courage) change in each season, and during this season, these movements within ourselves may feel impossible to overcome. Join Bishop Wright in a 5 part video series that takes a deeper dive into what these movements look and feel like as people of faith.
To receive emails with Christian Education reflections at home, contact Cheryl Kelley, the Director of Formation, at ckelley@gracechurchgainesville.org.