Overture 04-28. On Directing GAC to Provide an Introduction to Antiracism Training for Assemblies in 2006, 2008, and 2010, and Making Recommendations in 2010 for Future Events—From the Presbytery of Detroit.

The Presbytery of Detroit overtures the 216th General Assembly (2004) to direct the General Assembly Council to do the following:

1. Provide an introduction to antiracism training for all commissioners attending the 217th General Assembly (2006), the 218th General Assembly (2008), and the 219th General Assembly (2010).

2. Evaluate the ongoing need for and impact of such events and make recommendations to the 219th General Assembly (2010) about holding such events at future General Assemblies.

Rationale

We believe that we are all created by God in God’s image, have infinite value in the eyes of God, and are made one in Jesus Christ.

We confess that our society created a system of white privilege or racism by incorporating policies and procedures based on negative stereotypes of people of color into the normal operations of our institutions.

We confess that although progress toward equality has been made, this racism remains widespread and continues to damage and diminish all of us, our churches, our society and its institutions.

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) recognizes that the task of dismantling racism is a long-term struggle that requires discernment, prayer, and worship-based action (Facing Racism: A Vision of the Beloved Community, Minutes, 1999, Part I, pp. 273ff, esp. 284).

The 210th General Assembly (1998) approved the Racial Ethnic Immigrant Growth Strategy, which sets the goal of increasing racial ethnic membership to 10 percent by 2005 and 20 percent by 2010, and notes the necessity of understanding and dismantling racism in order to reach this goal.

The National Ministries Division developed and led a three-hour introduction to antiracism training for all commissioners to the 213th General Assembly (2001). More than 800 people attended this event, and it led to an increase in antiracism awareness and training across the PC(USA).