The Church of the Palms is dedicated to sharing “God’s unconditional love, justice and extravagant welcome.” Members of the Social Justice Leadership Team are committed to finding ways to break down barriers that separate various segments of the population. This effort began with the commitment to be an “Open and Affirming” congregation and has expanded to include several social justice ministries. One of these ministries is that of addressing “Othering and Belonging.”
Vision Statement
Our vision is to be a faith community where every person is seen, valued, and embraced as a reflection of God’s image – a place where belonging is cultivated, acceptance is the norm, differences are honored, and no one is treated as “other”.
Mission Statement
To nurture a culture of belonging within our church by recognizing and dismantling patterns of othering; fostering understanding, compassion, and connection across differences; and encouraging practices that affirm the dignity, gifts, and humanity of every individual. Through non-judgement, education, dialogue, and intentional relationship building, we seek to create a community where all people experience welcome, acceptance, and spiritual wholeness.
Book Study
“White Fragility: Why is Hard for White People to Talk About Racism”
Thursdays, April 30, May 7 and May 14, 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM.
This is a very timely book written by Robin DiAngelo about race relations in the United States. An academic with experience in diversity training, DiAngelo coined the term “white fragility” to describe what she views as any defensive instincts or reactions that a white person experiences when questioned about race or made to consider their own race.
Nancy Nonini, John Durbin and Kim Pontius will be leading a three-session study on Robin DiAngelo’s book. Please call the church office (623.977.8359) to register for the class.
Preventing Antisemitism
Understanding and responding to antisemitism is necessary, but the ultimate goal must be to prevent it.
Share This
The following themes outline, in broad strokes, actions to help prevent antisemitism:
- Engage with the Jewish community Perhaps unsurprisingly, Americans who say they know someone Jewish are significantly more likely to view antisemitism as a problem, with 81% of U.S. adults who know someone who is Jewish saying so, compared with 58% of those who do not know anyone who is Jewish.
- Be prepared | A heightened awareness of the situations and times when antisemitism increases enables proactive planning to combat it. Antisemitism often rises during election cycles, around Jewish holidays, and during flare-ups in the Middle East. AJC’s State of Antisemitism in America 2024 Report revealed that 77% of American Jews said that the Hamas October 7 attacks in Israel made them feel less safe as a Jewish person in the United States. Community leaders, allies, and law enforcement should be on alert during these times and provide support to the Jewish community, as needed.
- Increase security and promote resilience | As long as Jewish communities are threatened by antisemitic violence, their security needs must be addressed. Increasing security is best accomplished hand-in-hand with bolstering Jewish community resilience, meaning that the Jewish community anticipates and responds to incidents, but more importantly withstands them and adapts. This approach will ensure the Jewish community not only survives, but thrives. It is about stability and structure as opposed to a continuous battle.
- Promote awareness and training | The importance of education in prevention cannot be overstated. Trainings—on Jews, the Holocaust, and antisemitism—provide an opportunity not only to show solidarity but to gain knowledge and tools to identify and respond to antisemitism. Programs to combat racism and intolerance provide an important framework, but they may downplay or ignore the problem of antisemitism. Because of its complexity, antisemitism should be addressed as a unique form of hatred. Finally, as misinformation spreads online and off, media literacy is increasingly important.
- Establish policies and create the right structures | Government, educational institutions, companies, and civil society can all craft policies and/or establish official structures to prevent and address antisemitic hate, prejudice, and conspiratorial thinking. Sustained action from all allies and partners is crucial.
- Ensure consequences | Government, educational institutions, companies, and civil society must also ensure there are consequences for antisemitism. If those who cause an unsafe environment for Jews are not reprimanded for their behavior, the antisemitism will continue unabated. It is important to remember that even if the intent of an action is not antisemitic, the effect often is. When considering consequences, focus on the impact on Jews (isolation, discrimination, exclusion, threats of danger, etc.). AJC’s State of Antisemitism in America 2024 Report can offer a national sense of the impact of antisemitism on American Jews; for example, 56% of American Jews avoided at least one behavior in the past 12 months out of fear of antisemitism.
We are all responsible for combating antisemitism.
40% of Americans do not know someone Jewish.
AJC’s State of Antisemitism in America 2024 Report can
The Othering and Belonging Ministry Team recently sponsored a workshop on “Unconscious Bias” presented by Reverend Lynette Turner. Lynette Is a life coach, motivational speaker, an expert in “positivity”, and a member of The Church of The Palms.
Watch for Lynette’s next workshop on “The 10 Be’s of Positivity – 10 Steps to a More Positive Way of Living”. Lynette will offer a presentation based on her book of the same title. Learn about the ten steps you can take to live a more fulfilled and happy life in this presentation. Once you are committed to the ten steps of being: honest, your authentic self, open-minded, a good listener, loving, grateful, spiritual, positive, forgiving, and present in the moment, your life will never be the same. In this gathering, you will gain insight and understanding of the application of these practices, which in turn can contribute to your happiness. Whether you are someone who already benefits by living a life of positivity or you strive to have more positivity in your life, this presentation will provide useful tools and guidance. Watch this space for more information.
If you are interested in becoming a member of a team to overcoming “Othering and Belonging” contact John Durbin at Socialjustice@thepalms.org