Central Atlantic Conference Antiracism Task Force Meeting

Christ Church, Summit, New Jersey

April 25-26 2003

 

Twelve members of the CAC Antiracism Task Force attended this meeting held last weekend at Christ Church Summit.  The meeting was devoted to completion of the Church Audit, which the Task Force is preparing for all the churches in the Central Atlantic Conference.  This Audit will be a vehicle in which churches will be able to look at their programs and see how far along they are on the road to becoming a multiracial church in both deeds and every day practices including, worship, music, education, employment policies, purchasing policies, who attends the church and outreach to the wider community both near and far.  The task force will conduct a workshop to explain the audit process at the CAC annual meeting in June. We also have a list of resources including Antiracism Training to help churches with the process.  Any Christ Church member who would like to review the draft Audit and help us with this please contact Jeannette Brown.

 

The Christ Church Communication Committee issued a press release about this meeting that was published in the Star Ledger and The Summit Independent.  As a result of this press release and meeting notice four members of the community joined the group on Saturday afternoon for lunch and conversation.

 

The conversation was focused on racism in the Summit area.  One of the community members was from Fountain Baptist church and one works at the Summit Middle School.  Our conversations focused on problems in the schools and with youth and some ideas of how to change things were given by members of the task force.  Everyone agreed that afternoon meeting, though short was worthwhile.  These community members will be added to the e-mail list serve of the task force so that they can continue the conversation. 

 

Any Christ Church member who would like to added to the task force list serve please contact Jeannette Brown and we will add your name.

 

The task Force would like to thank the Christ Church members who graciously opened their homes to task force members for over night accommodation; they are: Jim & Leslie Carson, Gretchen and Chris Ritchie and Joan and Keith Jones, except due to dropouts we did not need to use the Jones' home.  I also acted as a host for one person.  The task force members came as strangers and left as friends.  I would also like to thank the Ritchie family for double duty because they hosted the Rev Art Waidmann for two nights since he was to be a supply preacher for First Congregational Church in Westfield on Sunday.

 

Jeannette Brown

UCC Representative