Commission for Intercultural Ministries

Striving to reflect the diversity of heaven by living into the long-term commitment to racial healing, reconciliation, and justice of Beloved Community in the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California.

Latest News:

November, 2023 | The Episcopal Church in Navajoland

November, 2023 | Presiding Bishop Michael Curry Calls for an End to the Violence and Killing in Gaza

November, 2023 | Racial Justice Audit Executive Summary and Report Now Available

The Episcopal Church in Navajoland

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry Calls for an End to the Violence and Killing in Gaza

Racial Justice Audit Executive Summary and Report Now Available

Commission for Intercultural Ministries

Who We Are

As followers of Jesus, we are lay and clergy volunteers committed to embodying our Baptismal Covenant to strive for justice and peace, and to respect the dignity of every human being. We are inspired by the King Center philosophy to “envision the Beloved Community where injustice ceases and love prevails.”

The labyrinth represents the self-reflection and examination we must do individually and as a community. Guided by the Holy Spirit, we must tell the truth, proclaim the dream, practice the way of love, and repair the breach to become God’s Beloved Community.

Our Mission

Our mission is to build the Beloved Community within the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California. With partners, we are identifying and prioritizing needs within the diocese and developing initiatives to address those needs, to make Beloved Community part of the culture and fabric of our congregations.

Examples of these initiatives include racial healing and reconciliation training; indigenous ministries and land acknowledgment; immigration and refugee resettlement; Latino/Hispanic ministries; public policy advocacy; and the racial justice audit. As additional needs are identified, new ministries are developed to address them. –Adopted June 9, 2022

Please contact us at NorCalCIM@gmail.com to learn more about our work.

Becoming Beloved Community

The Commission for Intercultural Ministries is integrating the Becoming Beloved Community vision into its various areas of focus.

Efforts include:

Providing education for the Diocese and congregations regarding the Becoming Beloved Community vision
Providing programs and resources that address the four components of the Beloved Community journey—telling the truth, proclaiming the dream, practicing the way of love, and repairing the breach.
Accessing The Episcopal Church’s Becoming Beloved Community grant program to provide funding for projects in this area.
Ensuring that Commission efforts are aligned with the spirit of the Becoming Beloved Community vision and commitment.
Exploring ways to partner with other dioceses in this important work.
Supporting the Diocesan Commitment to Diversity and promoting the same in our churches and communities.

If you would like more information about how you can be involved with building the Beloved

Community, please contact Miriam Casey at edncbbc@gmail.com.

Resources

Becoming Beloved Community https://episcopalchurch.org/beloved-community

Subscribe to CIM’s Beloved Community Resource Newsletter: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/WeHHFWL/CommForInterculturalMinis

Becoming Beloved Community Resource Newsletters

Subscribe to CIM’s Beloved Community Resource Newsletter:

https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/WeHHFWL/CommForInterculturalMinis

Beloved Community Resource Newsletters:

November 2023: https://conta.cc/46tSDWX

October 2023: https://conta.cc/3uHkS7o

September 2023: https://conta.cc/3Lmrfm5

June 2023: https://conta.cc/3JdZQS0

May 2023: https://conta.cc/45ujH9f

April 2023: https://conta.cc/3ULBP9A

March 2023: https://conta.cc/3FuKHKc

February 2023: https://conta.cc/3YVtpxM

January 2023: https://conta.cc/3QR08Ro

December 2022: https://conta.cc/3j6W7vr

November 2022: https://conta.cc/3m3V8O5

October 2022: https://conta.cc/3E1X2Fk

September 2022: https://conta.cc/3QYf6DO

August 2022: https://conta.cc/3ABb13a

July 2022: https://conta.cc/3LyXcZ4

June 2022: https://conta.cc/3n0GNTb

Racial Healing and Reconciliation Training and Sacred Ground Dialogue Circles

The Commission provides and supports anti-racism training in The Diocese of Northern California. This training is a requirement for leadership positions in The Episcopal Church and furthers the goal of Becoming Beloved Community. Bishop Megan has offered guidance on who is required to take this training.

One-day Workshop

CIM training teams provide “I Will, With God’s Help: Journey Toward Racial Healing and Justice” workshops at locations throughout the diocese.

Plans for 2024 workshops are being formed.

This workshop is rooted in our baptismal identity and the promises we make in baptism. It focuses on how we can more fully live into our promise to be more loving toward our neighbors. During the workshop we follow the path of the Becoming Beloved Community labyrinth.

This workshop meets the requirement for licensing for Lay Eucharistic Ministers, Lay Eucharistic Visitors, and unlicensed lay leaders (such as vestry members and ministry leads) in the Diocese. Other lay licensed ministries (lay preachers, worship leaders, formation leaders, and evangelists) need to take Sacred Ground to meet Diocesan licensing requirements.

If you are interested in hosting or attending a workshop, contact Miriam Casey at edncbbc@gmail.com

Sacred Ground

The Commission encourages and provides support for Sacred Ground Dialogue Circles within the Diocese. Sacred Ground is an 11-session, film-based dialogue on faith and race offered through the national church. Circles are currently meeting online (through Zoom) and in-person. Information about Sacred Ground is available here: https://episcopalchurch.org/sacred-ground Those who wish to form a Sacred Ground Circle must first register with The Episcopal Church to receive necessary passwords: https://www.episcopalchurch.org/sacred-ground/registration/.

CIM also appreciates being notified of new Circles in our diocese so we can provide certificates for those who complete at least 80 percent of the coursework. Register new circles here: https://forms.gle/ugvbm69y68SC1XAUA
Interested in joining a Sacred Ground Circle? CIM can let you know when openings occur. Sign up here: https://forms.gle/G26EPxDzEFSpnsZW7

Questions can be directed to Karen Nolan at NorCalCIM@gmail.com.

Resources

Subscribe to the CIM’s Beloved Community Resource Newsletter:

https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/WeHHFWL/CommForInterculturalMinis

Team Members

Miriam Casey, Commission for Intercultural Ministries Co-Chair, coordinates and supports the one-day “I Will, With God’s Help: Journey Toward Racial Healing and Justice” workshops. Workshop presenters include:

The Rev. Tom Gartin | Faith Episcopal Church, Cameron Park
The Rev. Robin Denney | St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Napa
The Rev. Canon Tina Campbell | Indigenous Missioner for the Diocese
Jo Ann Williams | St. John’s Episcopal Church, Roseville
Michael Adams | St. John’s Episcopal Church, Roseville
Diane Williamson | St. John’s Episcopal Church, Roseville
Bob Wohlsen | Incarnation, Santa Rosa
Miriam Casey | Incarnation, Santa Rosa
The Rev. Kathy Hopner | St. Clements, Rancho Cordova

Karen Nolan, Epiphany Episcopal Church, Vacaville, coordinates and supports Sacred Ground Circles in the Diocese.

Latino/Hispanic Ministries

In 2019, the Latino/Hispanic (L/H) Ministries Task Force was re-activated. Our goals are to:

● Connect with congregations about our task force and also connect congregations with each other when our inventory shows similar Spanish-speaking services or concerns.

● Develop a list of resources of what is available around our Diocese and at The Episcopal Church (TEC) and post this on the diocesan website.

● Identify the kinds of services desired by second- and third-generation Latino/Hispanic individuals or families.

● Identify barriers to providing Spanish-speaking services and explore ways to address them.

● Develop approaches/strategies for reaching out more fully to the Latino/Hispanic community.

● Explore partnering with local organizations/groups to reach out to the Latino/Hispanic community.

In December 2022, the Missioner for Congregation Life convened a diocesan leadership planning session to outline a strategic plan for growing this ministry. Details about the plan are described in the article from the December 20, 2022 issue of the Diocesan ENews. https://conta.cc/3FPWcLz

Resources

Toolkits are available to congregations that would like to hold celebrations for any of the following holidays:

Latino/Hispanic Ministries: https://episcopalchurch.org/latino-ministries

Team Members

Our current members include: The Rev. Gary Brown, The Rev. Amy Zuniga, The Rev. Anne Arthur, The Rev. Mack Olson, Jim Schaal, The Rev. Canon Tina Campbell, Lynn Zender, the Rev. Daniel Green, the Rev. Tammy Smith-Firestone and Amy Nykamp.

Would you like to join us? Do you have ideas, services or resources to suggest? We would love to hear from you. Please contact the Rev. Mack Olson: mack@norcalepiscopal.org

Indigenous Ministries Task Force

The purpose of the Indigenous Ministries Task Force is to encourage and support local congregations in recognizing and forming meaningful relationships with their Indigenous neighbors, including the development of land acknowledgments.

Resources

Task Force Members

The Rev. Canon Tina Campbell, Indigenous Missioner for the Diocese of Northern California, leads the Task Force.

Other members include:

Patricia Heinicke, Trinity Cathedral
Miriam Casey, Commission for Intercultural Ministries

The task force welcomes new members. Contact the Rev. Canon Tina Campbell at tinarcampbell@comcast.net.

Immigration and Refugee Ministries

Refugee Resettlement Team

This group began a couple of years ago as the Afghan Resettlement Team following international events which resulted in thousands of refugees coming to our country. In consultation with World Relief and International Refugee Committee offices in Sacramento, we have been assisting our diocesan congregations in their many efforts to resettle refugees in their communities.

In 2022, we renamed ourselves the Refugee Resettlement Team to acknowledge the need to assist refugees and immigrants from many parts of our world. We meet regularly.
If you would like to join us or would like more information, please contact Bob Wohlsen at bob.wohlsen@gmail.com.

Read: Two Years Later: The Refugee Resettlement Team Pauses and takes note. | Article written by Bob Wohlsen, August 2023

Episcopal Migration Ministries

Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM) is a ministry of The Episcopal Church that proudly carries on a century-old legacy of Episcopal ministries that welcome immigrants and refugees. EMM lives the call of welcome by supporting refugees, immigrants, and the communities that embrace them as they walk together in The Episcopal Church’s movement to create loving, liberating, and life-giving relationships rooted in compassion. EMM’s desire to honor the inherent value of human connection brings communities together to love their neighbors as themselves.

EMM offers a variety of educational resources, training, and support to individuals, congregations and communities seeking to learn more about how they can be welcomers. The Commission for Intercultural Ministries supports the vision of Episcopal Migration Ministries.

Resources

Episcopal Migration Ministries. https://episcopalchurch.org/episcopal-migration-ministries

Advocacy Team

The Advocacy Team leads efforts to support proposed and pending legislation at the state and federal levels based on congruence with our Christian faith and guidance from the National Church.

It meets monthly to consider legislation through the lens of our Christian values and guidance from the National Church.

Team members also participate in weekly Episcopal Public Policy Network (EPPN) briefings and in the EPPN Ambassador program. They also join advocacy efforts with like-minded groups, such as EPPN-CA, the Lutheran Office of Public Policy, and the Poor People’s Campaign. The team hosts advocacy training programs for the diocese.

Opportunities for advocacy are communicated through the monthly Beloved Community Resource Newsletter, as well as through the weekly diocesan E-News.

Links to three videos from ECLA Advocacy Summer School:

“What is Faith-Based Advocacy?” https://vimeo.com/610026312
“How Do I Use Media for Impact?” https://vimeo.com/611093666
“How Do I Approach Policy Makers?” https://vimeo.com/610902143

Resources

Office of Government Relations: www.episcopalchurch.org/ministries/office-government- relations/
Subscribe to the Becoming Beloved Newsletter: lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/WeHHFWL/CommForInterculturalMinis
link to the advocacy guide: OGR-Faith-and-Citizenship.pdf (episcopalchurch.org)
link to this publication: From-the-Pew-to-the-Public-Square-Digital-Single-Pages.pdf (episcopalchurch.org)
EPPN Fall Newsletter: https://www.episcopalchurch.org/ogr/fall-of-2023-newsletter/

Team Members

Bob Wohlsen, Church of Incarnation, Santa Rosa, leads the team. Bob.Wohlsen@gmail.com

Members include:

Bob Wohlsen, Church of Incarnation, Santa Rosa
Miriam Casey, Church of Incarnation, Santa Rosa
Jo Ann Williams, St. John’s Episcopal Church, Roseville
Helen Winfrey, St. Francis Episcopal Church, Fortuna
The Rev. Grant Bakewell, St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, Sacramento
Lynn Zender, St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, Davis

The team welcomes new members. Contact Miriam Casey at edncbbc@gmail.com

Racial Justice Audit

The Commission for Intercultural Ministries thanks everyone who participated in this year’s survey of diocesan leaders, and our thanks to the Mission Institute (MI) for conducting the audit. Findings and recommendations are listed in the Executive Summary with details covered in the full report at the links below.

This report is not a destination but rather a continued journey on the path toward Beloved Community. In 2024 MI will conduct the second year of the audit at parish level and issue a final report.

Please contact Lynn Zender, zenderlynn@gmail.com , or Jo Ann Williams, bjwilli@surewest.net, Racial Justice Audit Co-chairs, for questions or comments about the audit report.

View/Download Executive summary

View/Download RJA Report

Resources

Racial Justice Audit – The Episcopal Diocese of Northern California: www.norcalepiscopal.org/racial-justice-audit/

Racial Justice Audit of Episcopal Leadership: www.episcopalchurch.org/ministries/racial- reconciliation/racial-justice-audit/

Team Members

Racial Justice Audit Co-Chairs are Lynn Zender, zenderlynn@gmail.com, and Jo Ann Williams, bjwilli@surewest.net. Questions about the audit may be addressed to them.

Rainbow Ministry

The Rainbow Ministry exists to celebrate and embrace the fabulous gender and sexual diversity of all God’s people, fostering education, invitation, and connection throughout the diocese.

Team Members

Rainbow Ministry Co-Chairs are Susanna Curry, norcalcim@gmail.com and Delia Fay+, norcalcim@gmail.com. Questions about the Rainbow Ministry may be addressed to them.

Resources:

LGBTQ+ in the Church: https://www.episcopalchurch.org/who-we-are/lgbtq/
Other Advocacy and Support Organizations for LGBTQIA2S+ Communities: https://www.childwelfare.gov/organizations/?CWIGFunctionsaction=rols:main.dspList&rolType=Custom&RS_ID=146&rList=ROL

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) offers the safety advice for houses of worship

The Power of Hello Guide for Houses of Worship: https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/2022-11/The%20Power%20of%20Hello%20Guide%20for%20Houses%20of%20Worship_508.pdf

Resources

The Commission publishes current resources and reports in its monthly Beloved Community Resource newsletter. If you would like to be added to the distribution list, please subscribe here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/WeHHFWL/CommForInterculturalMinis

Sacred Ground https://episcopalchurch.org/sacred-ground

Becoming Beloved Community https://episcopalchurch.org/beloved-community

The Way of Love https://episcopalchurch.org/way-of-love

Racial Healing and Reconciliation https://episcopalchurch.org/racial-reconciliation

Latino/Hispanic Ministries https://episcopalchurch.org/latino-ministries

Indigenous Ministries https://episcopalchurch.org/indigenous-ministries

Episcopal Migration Ministries https://episcopalchurch.org/episcopal-migration-ministries

The Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations https://www.episcopalchurch.org/ministries/office-government-relations/

Racial Justice Audit – The Episcopal Diocese of Northern California https://www.norcalepiscopal.org/racial-justice-audit/

Racial Justice Audit of Episcopal Leadership: https://www.episcopalchurch.org/ministries/racial- reconciliation/racial-justice-audit/

LGBTQ+ in the Church: https://www.episcopalchurch.org/who-we-are/lgbtq

Diocesan Commitment to Diversity: https://www.norcalepiscopal.org/diocesan-commitment-to-diversity/