Purpose

The purpose of the Mosaic Task Force is to help the diocese become more hospitable in an increasingly diverse world and to become more aware of the presence of structural and institutional racism within the Church. A 2015 Diocesan Convention initiative called for deanery conversations around congregational vitality. The purpose is to bring together members of different congregations together for the common growth of the diocese as it lives out its mission and ministry.

Resource Links

• Epistles and Prophets - this free adult education curriculum from Trinity Wall Street explores contemporary issues through the words of Martin Luther King Jr., James Baldwin, Thomas Merton and Ruby Sales. The series is video based (online) and provides guided questions .
  
• Becoming Beloved Community
• Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North (Request for your Congregation)
• Seeing the Face of God in Each Other
• FIT Oshkosh
• Seeking God’s Justice for All
• On Behalf of Our Children: Wisconsin’s Racial Disparities and the Call of the Gospel​
• Loving Our Interfaith Neighbors

People

The Task Force is composed of members appointed by the Bishop with current co-chairs being Ms. Margaret Brack, and the Rev. Jim Harrison, Rector of All Saints, Appleton. Other members include Jim Brack, Missy Harrison, Amy Healy,the Rev. Erin Kirby Martina Mims secretary/treasurer, the Rev. Meredyth Albright, the Rev. John Ambelang, the Rev. Dcn. Brien Beck, the Rev. Dcn. Sue Burman, the Rev. Diane Murray. If you would like to join the Task Force, please email Margaret or Jim+ at brackmargaret@gmail.com​  or allsaintsfatherjim@tds.net.

Training

To fulfill its purpose, the Task Force is developing a training program for clergy on “the Church’s teaching on racism” per the Canons of the Episcopal Church – III.6.5.(g).(4) and III.8.5.(h).(4) with the hope to offer such training to laity and congregations. The Clergy Continuing Education in the Fall of 2017 will use this program. The Task Force also facilitates ongoing charitable and respectful conversation across differences of race, ethnicity, culture, politics, etc.

In 2017 the Task Force presented a program for clergy designed to support on “the Church’s teaching on racism” per the Canons of the Episcopal Church – III.6.5.(g).(4) and III.8.5.(h).(4). The program was presented at the fall 2017 Clergy Retreat for Continuing Education and included a viewing of The Traces of the Trade and an awareness building workshop based in the Roots of Justice (formerly Damascus Road) dismantling racism training. It is the hope of the Taskforce to offer workshops for lay leaders and congregations through the Deanery system beginning in the spring of 2018. 

Past Events

In 2016, the Mosaic Task Force held “Engaging One Another Across Our Differences” for laity and clergy in each deanery of the diocese.  Each session was facilitated by Laura Smythe, an attorney, mediator and professor who addresses topics of cultures and change, critical thinking, creative problem solving and social diversity. She addressed how our upbringing, our cultural background and societal trends have formed values around race which affect our relationships more than we assume. 

Minutes

Minutes are archived in dropbox and can be reviewed by using this link: https://tinyurl.com/mosaictf