Event Details
Opening Our Hearts to Reflect about Race and Equity
Weekly e-mails with option to meet at San Damiano for dialogue
Cancellation policy
Overnight or Multi-day/weekend retreats: $50 fee. Day Retreat: $20. Fees may be applied to future retreats. The fees may be waived in event of extenuating circumstances. Contact Kateri at 925-837-9141 x315.
About the Event
In light of the unacknowledged legacy of racial violence in our country – how do we grieve? How do we learn? How do we change? The topic of race is so delicate and so deadly.
Join us in the wisdom and healing journey. This retreat combines storytelling, music, art, spiritual teachings and practices, and contemplation as a means to open ourselves to the grace of healing racial inequity. By coming closer to events whose historical origins and attitudes have shaped and persist in shaping narrow views, the intention of this retreat is to unfold a process for healing the wounds caused by the damage of racial violence.
Week 1 (August 4) focuses on our hearts and how we respond to suffering – ours and others
Week 2 (August 11), we see and hear about the historical experience of race in the U.S.
Week 3 (August 18) introduces personal stories about Black experiences in this country
Week 4 (August 25) looks at recent incidents of death in US churches and synagogues, naming the victims and examining a connection with one of the perpetrators.
How it Works
This retreat is designed to be self-paced. You will receive weekly e-mails beginning Wednesday August 4 that take about an hour to read/view.
Reverend Steve and friends invite you to attend the 3 optional dialogue sessions being held at San Damiano. Each dialogue session covers the prior week’s e-mail. There is no additional charge for these sessions. You are welcome to stay for lunch; please register below. Cost for lunch is $15.
Please call Kateri at 925-785-9850 if you prefer making your reservation by phone. Thank you.
About the Presenter(s)
Reverend Steve Harms
Reverend Steve Harms is the Senior Pastor at Peace Lutheran in Danville, California. He helped design the Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County and has previously served as president. He has worked nights on the streets of the San Francisco Tenderloin, leads the monthly Jazz Church West Celebrations at Peace, teaches Tai Chi, and has built partnership bridges of peace and justice with friends in Venda, South Africa, Nicaragua and the Amazon. He and Bev have 3 adult sons and 4 grandkids.
We are grateful to the authors of this retreat: Elizabeth Hopkins-Kurz, Libby Flynn, and Diana Howard.
