Maplewood, Missouri
2020
To reimagine worship as an act of justice by decolonizing the congregation's worship practices to ensure that each is engaged in a culturally appropriate way.
Provide a brief summary of the purpose and goal of your grant.
When we embarked on this journey, we planned to invite guest BIPOC facilitators to lead workshops to engage our majority white congregation in the work of "identifying adverse practices in our current worship and guiding us to re-imagine what our worship could become." A significant part of the congregation had committed to this work of "discovering the internal work we [have] to do." Basically, we wanted to identify white supremacy in our practices and attempt to decolonize our worship.
What are two questions that have generated reflection on worship and helped shape your project?
Two surprising questions we have been reflecting on are:
1.Can colonizers decolonize? What would that look like?
2. What does it mean for white church to become obsolete?
What impact has your project had on the worship life and habits of the congregation?
We are rethinking everything. We are talking about leveling the rise of the chancel, organ, and choir loft so that all are equal. We are troubled by our large stained glass windows that depict Jesus and others as white. We've added lots of alternate art in the sanctuary and around the building. We added a black staff member to lead music and worship. We softened the giant large cross by flowering it. We understand that much of this is performative and we have to go deeper into relationship.
What have been your greatest challenges (or challenging opportunities)?
The biggest logistical challenge this year has been doing this work virtually due to the pandemic. We've also had the challenge of dealing with "white folks' tears" and "whataboutisms," i.e, the expected fallout from white people when we are no longer the center of attention. We didn't have anyone trained who could address this resistance to decentering our whiteness, and wish we had been better prepared. We depended too much on our guests for that, and that wasn't fair.
What would you like to share with other Project Directors?
Allowing our (white) selves to sit at the feet of of BIPOC leaders was eye-opening about who we perceive ourselves to be and how many of our assumptions about worship and our faith are rooted in colonizing values rather than the values of Jesus. If we are to apply what we are learning, then making changes to worship means changing our lives. This learning cannot end with the end of our project.