January LifeLines and Breeze
LifeLines Examines Roots of Racial and Economic Divisions
I have taught courses in the Reconciliation Studies Department at Bethel University in the past few years. Reconciliation studies inspired by Paul’s admonition in 2 Corinthians 5 to engage in a “ministry of reconciliation,” focuses on understanding and potentially healing the many things that divide us. Two major sources of division in our society are race and class. In January, we have explored in LifeLines the roots of those divisions in American history, and how the two intersect and interact.
We began by asking “What are the different outcomes in wealth, education, health, home ownership, etc, for people of color versus whites and lower-income people versus those in the middle class and above?” The participants shared the Google searches they did on their phones to discover disparities by race and class persist, even today.
We then examined the historical roots of these disparities, going back to the early 1600s, and discovered that “the history of racism is the history of labor.” We tried to understand how the early history of the perpetuation of the slave trade which involved both white and black slaves, shapes race and class relations today. We observed how the differential treatment of white and black people that emerged in our laws has led to a system that privileges whites and explains some of the disparities and divisions that persist to this day.
We then heard from our members who, as educators and parents, have examined how race and class affect those they work with, and those in their own families, who experience the adverse effects of a system that disadvantages people of color. We will hear from Julia Dinsmore, an author and poet, who has written about her experience as a poor, white person and found solidarity and reconciliation beyond our divisions.
The Anti-Racism small group, led by Linda Shay, is looking to extend this discussion of these deep, historic divisions to take action toward healing and reconciliation. If you are interested in joining, you can email her for further information, or talk to me about your interests.
Written by Pastor Peter Samuelson, Interim Lead Pastor
Breeze Church Management System
We’re officially switching from Fellowship One to Breeze, a new church database that’s easier to use and more helpful for everyone. With Breeze, you’ll be able to do things like track your giving, check your pledge progress, and stay connected with the church community. This new system is designed to make it simple to stay involved and informed.
One of the best parts about Breeze is that you can now update your contact information anytime, so we always have the most up-to-date details. You can also check out your giving history, see how you’re doing on your pledge, and connect with others through the online directory. While we hope you’ll use Breeze to explore these features, we’re still committed to doing our part in keeping everyone informed—your giving statements will now be emailed directly to you! (More details on this feature to come.)
We’re so excited about this transition because it makes staying connected with Good Shepherd even easier. It’s a small step that helps us all stay together and connected in even more ways!
Written by Mara Halvorson, Marketing and Communications Specialist