Bruton Parish Episcopal Church will host a series of events, “Race and The Church,” over Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend. The church invites the community, and other churches, to join in the dialogue.
In reaction to events across the country, particularly the shootings at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, S.C., Bruton Parish desired to take action on race relations, said parishioner Isabel Burch, who helped plan the program.
“This is our first step,” Burch said.
Bruton Parish coordinated with filmmaker Katrina Browne and Williamsburg’s First Baptist Church to present three events from Jan. 14-16.
On Thursday, “Race and The Church” kicks off with a showing of Browne’s film “Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North.” Browne discovers her New England ancestors, the DeWolf family, were the largest slave-trading family in U.S. history. The Emmy-nominated documentary explores the history of the slave trade and legacy of slavery.
“Traces of the Trade” influenced the Episcopal Church’s decision in 2006 to apologize for its role in slavery, according to the film’s website.
Following the showing, Browne will be present to answer questions and facilitate conversation.
The second “Race and The Church” event, Friday at First Baptist Church, includes a Colonial Williamsburg interpretive program, “The Gates of Hell Shall Not Prevail Against Thee.” The play traces the history of First Baptist, as one of the oldest African-American Baptist congregations in the U.S.
It’s a history intertwined with Bruton Parish – First Baptist was founded by several enslaved men and women who left their owners’ place of worship at Bruton Parish.
Choirs from both churches will join to sing selections during Friday’s program.
Burch hopes the program will strengthen the partnership between the two churches and “inform us about ways that we can enhance our relationship in our community, and beyond,” she said.
The final event, “Next Steps,” includes Browne’s showing of her 30-minute companion film, “Repairing the Breach: The Episcopal Church and Slavery Atonement.” Members of the Diocese of Southern Virginia’s Repairers of the Breach Committee will join her.
Reflecting on history, and its ongoing effects, the hope is “to learn ways that we can move forward in the future for better relationships,” Burch said.
Bridges can be reached by phone at 757-275-4934.
Events
“Traces of the Trade” – Refreshments at 7 p.m., program at 7:30 p.m., Jan. 14. Lewis Hall, Bruton Parish House, 331 Duke of Gloucester St.
“The Gates of Hell Shall Not Prevail Against Thee” – 6 p.m., Jan. 15. First Baptist Church, 727 Scotland St.
“Next Steps” – 10 a.m.-12 p.m., Jan. 16. Lewis Hall, Bruton Parish House, 331 Duke of Gloucester St.
