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Membership: 241
Caucasian Americans: 215
African Americans: 13
Asian Americans: 8
Native Americans: 3
Hispanic: 2
Session makeup: 12 members
9 Caucasians, 2 African Americans, 1 Native American
Mission statement:
Neither race nor gender,
Neither ethnic origin, nor sexual orientation,
Neither age, nor infirmity,
Neither marital status, nor education background,
Neither economic condition, nor any other aspect of personhood
Will divide this Christian community, this Household of God.
For we are one in God.
Historically, this congregation began with a shared vision of racial reconciliation, reflected in the name “Church of Reconciliation.” Started as an offshoot of the University Presbyterian Church in Chapel Hill in 1967 during the turbulent period of racial conflict and social change in the South, this fellowship saw its mission as witness to the power of Christ in overcoming the barriers of race, class and other social constructs. The minister Buie Seawell and the new congregation envisioned a racially diverse membership, which would develop ways of worship, and fellowship that reflected appreciation and respect of different cultural traditions. This vision became a reality as the small new multiracial congregation explored ways to worship, play and work together as brothers and sisters in Christ, a way of life that was both courageous and unusual during this period in the South.
The church bought a house in a part of Chapel Hill that was the dividing line between the black and white neighborhoods, and this “Neighborhood House” became a gathering place for educational and recreational programs for adults and youths, as well as a place where black and white friends could socialize safely and freely. This house served the neighborhood for a number of years until the opportunities given here became more available in the town.
The church sold some of its original land at below market price to the local InterFaith Council to build much needed low income housing in a part of town where none existed. There are now 38 housing units at this site, adjacent to our church, and we have partnered with the predominantly African American neighborhood in a variety of ways. The most successful of these partnerships is a tutoring project for elementary and middle school students, started by a member of the Church of the Reconciliation. College students from the Presbyterian Campus Ministry at the University of North Carolina join with church members to provide tutoring, social and recreational activities, and mentoring.
The Church of Reconciliation has made decisions at several points in its history to step outside the comfort zone in ways that reflect our commitment to social justice and racial reconciliation. One of these times was the choice in 1970 to seek a minister who was African American. Though this was a controversial decision within the congregation, many members felt that the next step in growth and witness to racial inclusiveness was having a minister/pastor who was African/American. After a long search, Marion Philips was called to become the second minister of the Church of Reconciliation in 1971. He was a minister for over two years, during which time there was growth in both African American and Caucasian membership.
In 1996, the Church of Reconciliation formed a strong bond with a predominantly African American church in Durham, Covenant Presbyterian Church. Over the years the bond has strengthened through an annual joint worship service on World Communion Sunday, regular visitation between the two churches, a monthly racial reconciliation discussion/fellowship group and book discussion meetings. In 2005, our two congregations co-sponsored a “Dismantling Racism” workshop led by national staff from Louisville, which was attended by about 60 members of the two churches.
In 2000, the Church of Reconciliation held its annual Theology Weekend with a focus on how the church could revitalize its original vision of racial reconciliation. This call to re-energize the vision came from within the congregation and gave birth to a group, which continues to this time. This racial reconciliation group is a bi-racial group that meets monthly to share life stories, support each other to confront racism in daily lives, and grow in understanding of the role of race in our cultures and our lives.
While our commitment to racial reconciliation remains a mark of our identity, our church has taken stands and risks beyond issues of race that witness to our mission statement of inclusivity. We use inclusive language in worship, seek to use various forms of worship that value other traditions (such as music from different traditions, liturgical dance, and use of language other than English), and experiment with ways to be hospitable to all who enter our church. One of the important stands we have taken as a church is the decision to declare ourselves a More Light congregation, making clear our welcome to gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual persons who want to be part of our community. We called an associate in ministry who is lesbian, Katie Ricks, in 2002, and await the day she is ordained and can perform the full service of the church. Members of our church started the Triangle More Light chapter and work for full inclusion of LGBT members in the Presbyterian Church. Our church has been a strong supporter of the Farm Labor Organizing Committee in their successful efforts to secure better working and living conditions for migrant workers in local farming areas. We have a close and supportive relationship with indigenous groups in Guatemala and other Central American countries, and send church representatives to work and visit several times a year. We support members of our congregation who have gone to Africa, Haiti and other places to do mission work. We have sponsored refugee families in becoming settled in our community. We have participated in many other social justice and peacemaking efforts, which led to our receiving the New Hope Presbytery Peacemaking Award in October 2005.
We believe the efforts to become a racially reconciled community is part and parcel of other reconciliation efforts: class, culture, sexual orientation, gender, other. We joyfully seek to learn new ways to realize our mission of living as one family in God. If we win the award we will use the money to help us move forward in our goal of becoming a fully multicultural church.
The Church Of Reconciliation
110 N. Elliott Road
Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514
(919) 929-2127 |
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