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Racial Justice Initiative�

The Congregational Survey: What We Learned

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Who and why�

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How we were created

Created by Session
Black Lives Matter Protests
Session committed to “intentionally working toward becoming an anti-racist congregation and participating in the fight for racial justice and equality in the larger community”
RJI created-reports to session
Invitation

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Who we are

David Alexander and Richard Roy, co-chairs

Amy Braunschweiger Lynn Coons

Nick Gajarski Art Gooray

Christiana Heinz Bob Hines

Katie Ross-Kinzie Sharon Sachs

Jim Wilson

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So Far

Learning…
Communicating…
Reading…
Beginning to understand …
Beginning to study …
Making invitations in many areas …

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Guided by the congregation�

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Beneficial?

87% - beneficial or very beneficial
5% - doubt
8% - neutral or indifferent

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The Story behind these responses

Widespread belief in benefit
Welcome additional input

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Priorities

64% - Missions and Service
47% - Children and Youth
39% - Communications
36% - Small Groups
28% - Preaching and Liturgy
21% - Church Leadership
13% - Building and Grounds
10% - Music
7% - Pastoral Care

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The Story behind these responses

Why these priorities?
How can the RJI enhance conversations?
What work is underway?

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Bethany and BSPC

84 - appropriate or very appropriate
6% - slightly or very inappropriate
10% - neutral or indifferent

The third question in the survey concerned BSPC’s relationship with Bethany.

84% of respondents think it is appropriate or very appropriate that BSPC explore with Bethany’s leadership the ways Bethany might or might not want its shared history with BSPC to be acknowledged.

You, of course, have already seen some of the work underway in the summer and fall. Bob Hines shared some of the BSPC and Bethany history in Palmer Hall, and again, at Bethany Church when we were invited to worship there on Marathon Sunday. If you haven’t seen it yet, those panels are on display again in the back of the room today. For those of you who don't know, Bob has a PhD in community development with a strong background in historical research. As the author of numerous peer reviewed articles and books on history he brought the historian's approach to what he read and learned. This is reflected in the care and language he used in the story he describes.

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The Story behind these responses

Acknowledging our history means being ready to listen to Bethany, and where such conversations fit within their priorities, challenges and mission.

There is considerable support for BPSC to explore with Bethany’s leadership the ways Bethany might or might not want its shared history with BSPC to be acknowledged.

The survey also asked a few other questions about our relationship with Bethany:

Vast majority support exploring with Bethany ways Bethany might or might not want:

To be in any type of relationship with BSPC [87%]

To acknowledge our shared history [84%]

BSPC representatives to listen intellectually & emotionally to what current Bethany members think & feel about shared history [82%]

To explore current commitments/future aspirations of service to shared neighborhood to identify common goals and collaboration opportunities [94%]

Included in the responses to our questions about Bethany were comments from respondents urging us to let Bethany take the lead in this work. That sense is shared by RJI and BSCP leadership.

So work with Bethany is underway, but we are trying to approach that work with an abiding respect for the fact that we must start by being ready to listen to Bethany, where it is, and how it wants to build our relationship. Our work is a process, and we have set no deadlines. We believe that theme has particular importance in our listening to our neighbors at Bethany.

As Bob will discuss at the end of the presentation, discussions with Bethany leadership and BSPC are ongoing.

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Self-development

64% - high or very high interest
16% - little to no interest
20% - neutral or indifferent

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The Story behind these responses

45 people offered ideas

About 1/5 of the respondents not interested

Everyone invited to participate with the RJI in thinking about self development and awareness

on issues of racial justice.

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Self-Understanding

68% - high or very high level of understanding
27% - neutral
5% - slightly or very low understanding

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To Become More Informed

89% informed themselves
5% uncertain
7% no action

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The Story behind these responses

60 people recommended resources for use by others
Clear opportunities :

Racial justice resources shelf
Opportunities for small group

discussion

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Racial Identity

43% - important or very important
31% - neutral or indifferent
27% - slight or no importance

87% of respondents who identified as a Person of Color stated that racial identity was an important or very important factor affecting their personal identity.

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The Story behind these responses

2021 BSPC report:

94% White;
5% Asian/Pacific Islander/South Asian;
>1% each, Black/African American/African; Multiracial; Hispanic/Latino-a

Survey respondents:

90% White

You might find yourself wondering who exactly answered the survey.

The vast majority (90%) of respondents were White.

The majority (65%) of respondents are female and are Baby Boomers, ages 58-76 (56%).

Almost all respondents attend worship services (99%) and a vast majority are financial contributors (87%).

A majority (63%) of respondents volunteer as church leaders and an equal majority (63%) are very involved with BSPC, participating in 4+ of the 7 listed activities.

Here is what was in slide 7:

Demographics of respondents:

The vast majority of those heard are White, worship service attendees, and financial contributors. The majority of those heard are female, Baby Boomers, church leader volunteers, and very involved with BSPC. Many of those heard have been affiliated with BSPC for 21+ years.
While not predominant, other voices were also heard through survey responses: males, People of Color, other generations, people with various lengths of affiliation and various types of church involvement.

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Questions and Suggestions to Broad Street

17% to Session
46% respondents to RJI
40% no questions/no suggestions

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Focus of the Questions

Reasons for the Initiative
Visions, Goals and Objectives of the Initiative
Voices of People of Color
Resources
Outreach

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Some next steps

Resource materials
Leadership conversations with Bethany
Continued conversation on shared history.
Justice Camp
Bronzeville Communications Network
Recognition of historic local indigenous peoples

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What you can do

Reach out to:

Bruce Hill, to become involved with any of the Near Neighborhood Partnership Mission’s initiatives
Members of the Racial Justice Initiative, to explore racial justice in our church life

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We Choose Welcome.

We are Called to Love Neighbor.