Tapestry of Faith: Building the World We Dream About: An Anti-racism Multicultural Program

Activity 1: Group Reflection

Activity time: 25 minutes

Materials for Activity

Preparation for Activity

  • Review Workshop 2, Leader Resource 2.
  • Write on newsprint, and post: What are your individual concerns about creating a multiracial/multicultural congregation?
  • Review the reflection group assignments you established for Workshop 2 and make any needed changes.
  • Arrange for appropriate spaces for reflection groups to meet. If possible, groups should meet in different rooms to avoid the natural tendency to eavesdrop on other conversations.

Description of Activity

Remind participants of the serial testimony protocol. Invite participants to move into reflection groups you determined in advance. Give each group a sheet of newsprint and a marker, and assign each group a space in which to meet. Give directions to the reflection groups, using these or similar words:

Choose a facilitator, a timekeeper, and a recorder. You have 20 minutes for this part of the discussion. Divide the time evenly by the number of people in your group. To foster a sense of inclusion, be sure that each participant has the opportunity to speak and that every person keeps to the time allotted for their "testimony." Begin with a quick round of introductions (sharing first names), and then ask each person in turn to respond to the posted question. The recorder should distill comments into "pinpoint phrases" that can be shared and record them on newsprint.

Collect and post the comments at the end of 20 minutes. Invite the large group to reconvene and reflect on patterns of responses from the small groups. Ask: What insights have you gained?