Inclusivity, Diversity & Equity

Inclusivity, Diversity, and Equity Team Consult

The IDE Team offers consults with congregations as a way to determine their current status in regard to Inclusivity, Diversity, and Equity. These consults don't provide a score or value judgment but an assessment and some suggestions for moving one step further. Often the conversations that arise during these consults open further conversations around these topics and can provide an opening for discussion in potentially traumatic history around inclusion.

Anti-Oppression Training

Produced in conjunction with Pastor Carla Christopher of the Lower Susquehanna Synod, the Southwestern Texas Synod offers a one-day training in Anti-Oppression. This training offers some basic vocabulary and more specific cultural vocabulary, a look into the history of how we got to the ways of oppression that we are currently in, and works to build skills for allyship and understanding of restorative justice practices. This training is typically offered in a 9 am to 3 pm block with a conversational lunch over zoom. There is periodically cost-free training offered by the synod and any congregation, conference, or group can request the training, virtually or in person, at cost. Pricing is currently under construction.

Form a Team or Task Force in Your Congregation

Is there a group of people in your congregation that are interested in Inclusivity, Diversity, and Equity? Several congregations in our synod have teams or task forces centered around diversity, inclusion, or racial justice. These teams can be a great way to explore growing your congregation's growth and learning in these areas as well as making clear that there are people committed to this work in the congregation.

Diversity & Accessibility Audit (Coming Soon)

The IDE Team is in the process of developing a Diversity & Accessibility Audit which will allow congregations to score themselves, or pair with another area congregation and swap, on these particular and important areas. The audit will include things like physical accessibility of the space and of worship for those with disabilities, imagery present in the building, word choice in worship, and more.

Softball Conversations (Coming Soon)

There will soon be what are currently being called "softball" conversations available to the Southwestern Texas Synod. These facilitated conversations will center around difficult topics and are intended to help us build muscles for speaking with others about divisive issues. The conversations will feature easy to answer questions for discussion that aim keep conversation flowing respectfully. More details soon to come.

Reparations for African American/Negro Spirituals

Throughout the pandemic we came to realize how important is to have the right streaming licenses for streaming music during worship, meaning that the composers and lyricists of our music would get their appropriate royalties for our use. We also came to realize that because Negro Spirituals were developed in a time where there was not adequate (or really any) recognition of their original composers and lyricists that those incredible musicians and writers would never receive the royalities for their work, nor would their descendants. As a way to right the wrongs of the past in the best way possible, congregations around the country and across denominations have begun donating "royalities" for the use of Negro Spirituals to organizations which work for the betterment of Black and African American communities in the United States.

You can learn more about this practice here.

To learn more about these and other ways that you or your congregation might be involved in the inclusivity, diversity, and equity efforts of our synod, the denomination, and the world at large, please contact Pastor Katy Miles-Wallace at idecoordinator@swtsynod.org.