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.”
Research on the topic of “othering” and “belonging” suggests that human nature is inclined to desire to be with, accept, and focus on positive characteristics of those who belong to the group of which we are a part. The opposite occurs for the “other” by marginalizing and assigning negative characteristics to those who are not part of the group. This is at the core of racism, antisemitism, xenophobia, religious intolerance, and other isms. The mission of Othering and Belonging ministry is to: “Engage and equip members of The Church of the Palms community to embrace and affirm the humanity of all people and to not marginalize, demonize, omit, or dismiss anyone.”
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