What is Sacred Ground?
Sacred Ground is a film-and-readings-based dialogue series on race, grounded in faith. Small groups are invited to walk through chapters of America’s history of race and racism, while weaving in threads of family story, economic class, and political and regional identity. Part of Becoming Beloved Community — The Episcopal Church’s long-term commitment to racial healing, reconciliation, and justice in our personal lives, our ministries, and our society — the 11-part series is built around a powerful online curriculum of documentary films and readings that focus on Indigenous, Black, Latino, and Asian/Pacific American histories as they intersect with European American histories.
The series is open to all, and especially designed to help white people talk with other white people. Participants are invited to peel away the layers that have contributed to the challenges and divides of the present day – all while grounded in our call to faith, hope and love.
Sacred Ground is not brand new to All Saints Church. In 2021 a number of parish leaders and staff members assisted in introducing the program here in the Diocese of Los Angeles. Many of those who participated at that time were hoping to widen the circle by creating a parish-wide opportunity to engage with the material.
We are grateful to be returning to Sacred Ground as a process for healing relationships which have been wounded by a void in the ability to talk about and embrace each other’s racial history and identity. We are confident that Sacred Ground will offer one of the steps we need to us move forward with the work that we have to do in 2025 and beyond.
Who created Sacred Ground and Why?
The dialogue series developer and author is Katrina Browne, producer/director of the documentary Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North. Browne is a lifelong Episcopalian who is dedicated to racial justice and healing. As a white woman, she is particularly concerned with the important work white people need to do in conversation with each other, as part of the larger project of Becoming Beloved Community.
More here: https://www.episcopalchurch.org/sacred-ground/about/
When is Sacred Ground coming to All Saints Church?
The timeline is to start registration on MLK Weekend (January 19) and begin the 11-part series of dialogue circles in February. There will be opportunities for both in person and online, daytime and evening, weekday and weekend groups.
Trained facilitators will be working in collaboration with Sacred Ground Coordinators Maryann Ahart and Lori Kizzia and under the direction of staff member Thomas Diaz, Director of Connection & Care. For more information, please contact Maren Tompkins at mtompkins@allsaints-pas.org
Here’s what former Presiding Bishop Michael Curry had to say about Sacred Ground:
See our “Telling The Whole Story: All Saints’ History of Jim Crow Segregation and St. Barnabas Church” webpage.
