By Susan Axelrod
At its 2023 Diocesan Convention, the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire took the bold step of passing a resolution to create a formal reparations plan for the diocese. The resolution is a logical next step living into previous General Convention and diocesan resolutions that encouraged parishes to tell the truth about their history of racism as a first step to Becoming Beloved Community and following Jesus in the Way of Love.
“We see Jesus at work in us when we find the unexpected courage to have conversations we would not otherwise have because of the innate resistance we all have to gloss over injuries, past and present,” said New Hampshire Bishop A. Robert Hirschfeld. “This resolution asks us to repair breaches and heal wounds that the sin of racism continues to cause in our broken world and in our souls. We can only do this with God’s grace leading the way. I am suspicious that we will ever fully ‘tackle’ anything this side of Christ’s return in glory, but this resolution is a sign of Grace’s irresistible invitation to us all.”
In passing the resolution, the diocese committed to the following.
- Affirming and pledging that the work of racial reparations is the work of the church and is an essential component of authentically living our faith and our baptismal vows.
- Establishing a Reparations Task Force composed of representation from the Reconciliation Commission, Diocesan Council, finance committee, standing committee, trustees, and external organizations who are stakeholders in the work of racial justice, with members who are representative intergenerationally, racially, and geographically across the diocese. These organizations are vested with the responsibility of creating a framework and plan for reparations that will be presented at the 222nd Diocesan Convention in October.
- Pledging to provide vital support in our communities and to fund a stipendiary position to gather stories, share the ongoing work of racial justice with the broader church, and coordinate the work of the Reparations Task Force.
- Encouraging our faith communities to continue practicing the way of Becoming Beloved Community by fostering relationships and continuing to learn about their local histories as it pertains to racial justice and healing.
- Encouraging congregations and organizations to submit applications for grants for funding and support through the diocesan Reconciliation Commission’s grant program to do this work.
The Reparations Task Force is led by Betty Lane, who serves on the Reconciliation Commission and has led several Sacred Ground groups, and James McKim, who also serves as chair of the Executive Council Committee on Anti-Racism & Reconciliation. The group convened for the first time on Jan. 17 and has begun discerning and stewarding the work of developing the framework and plan to be presented at the 222nd Diocesan Convention.
For more information, contact Susan Sherrill Axelrod, director of communications for the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire: saxelrod@nhepiscopal.org | 207-712-1488.
Susan Sherrill Axelrod oversees digital and print communications for the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire and the Episcopal Diocese of Maine.