Racial Justice
Our Mission & Vision
Our Mission: Our purpose for being
To advance and advocate racial justice in Maine.
Our Vision: What we desire and what compels us
To achieve a more just Maine by living into our baptism: to seek and serve Christ in all persons, respect the dignity of every human being, and transform unjust structures of society.
Racial Justice Statement
Hear from Bishop Brown
The Right Reverend Thomas J. Brown, the tenth bishop of Maine shares a statement regarding racial justice and the Episcopal Church in Maine.
Our Work
How we plan to live into our mission and achieve our vision
We will raise awareness of and address the evils of systemic racism in Maine through:
Liturgy
- Provide liturgical resources for parishes
- Diocesan services
- Promote inclusion of multicultural materials as part of worship
Formation
- Provide educational resources for parishes and individuals
- Formation opportunities for parishes and the Diocese
Action
- Raise awareness of opportunities for action
- Advocate legislative measures that promote racial justice
- Come alongside those engaged in protests for racial justice
Sacred Ground Program
A major focus for the RJC is to promote the Sacred Ground program which offers discussion groups led by trained facilitators in order to make conversations about race safe and impactful. It was launched in 2019 by The Episcopal Church and the RJC offers ongoing support to churches and groups who would like to participate in Sacred Ground or have questions about this program.
In Fall 2022, three Sacred Ground circles met on Zoom with participants and facilitators drawn from the dioceses of Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The circles were sponsored by the Diocese of Vermont’s Anti-Racism Action Group, the Diocese of New Hampshire’s Reconciliation Commission and the Diocese of Maine’s Racial Justice Council.
Now, in 2023, we have an opportunity to open up shared Sacred Ground Circles with the Diocese of Alabama! This will be a unique Sacred Ground experience: one that is shared across geographic areas and communities, and across lived experience. Our two dioceses have different experiences with race, both historically and in the present, and our hope is that collaboration in shared Sacred Ground circles will offer opportunities for deeper reflection through expanded perspective, and ultimately for healing. There will be two circles running currently via Zoom, each composed of members from both Maine and Alabama:
- Every other Monday, beginning March 6, 7-8:30 pm or
- Thursdays, beginning March 9, 1-2:30 pm
Our Members
The Rev. Katie Holicky
she/her, St. Paul’s Brunswick, a white person in the Abenaki Territory of the Wabanaki Confederacy
The Rev. Carol L. Huntington
Retired Deacon, she/her, Grace Church, Bath, an Anglo white person living in the Abenaki Territory, Wabanaki Confederacy on the shores of the Kinipek
Diane Potter
she/her, Christ Church Gardiner, European American, white person in Wabanaki Territory
Ted Potter
he/him, Christ Church Gardiner, European American, white person in Wabanaki Territory
June R. Smoot
she/her, St. David’s Episcopal Church-Kennebunk, a European-American/white person in Wabanaki territory
Roy Smoot
he/him, St. David’s Episcopal Church-Kennebunk, a European-American/white person in Wabanaki territory
Tom Van Buren
he/him, St. Brendan’s
Racial Justice Resources
Video
Recording of Justice Commission Town Hall 2/7/2023
Document
Justice Commission Overview
Video
Recording: The Seven Deadly Sins of White Christian Nationalism with Carter Heyward from 9/21
Link
Pastoral statement on mass shooting in Buffalo from Presiding Bishop Michael Curry – May 16, 2022
Link
Maine Voices: People of faith urge legislators, Gov. Mills to support tribal sovereignty
Video
Recording of Restoring Wabanaki Tribal Sovereignty Forum held Feb. 20, 2022
Link
Sacred Ground