Bishop and Standing Committee Seek Nominations to the Truth and Reparations Task Force

WHEREAS in our Baptismal Covenant we have promised to strive for justice and peace among all people, to seek and serve Christ in all persons, to love our neighbor as ourselves, and to respect the dignity of every human being; and 

WHEREAS the Episcopal church and the Diocese of Virginia have a long history of support for and complicity with chattel slavery, violence against Indigenous peoples and land, segregation and other racist systems, including slave ownership by our first four diocesan bishops and 82% of priests by 1860, chapels built on stolen Native lands, parishes that rented and gifted slaves, parishioners whose wealth, tithes, and offerings came from the slave economy, deliberate diocesan measures to segregate Black Episcopalians and block Black churches from being full and equal members and leaders of the diocese, and more – all directly affecting the lives of the people and communities they serve; and 

WHEREAS, the Diocese of Virginia, as the site of the “chapel of the Confederacy” and the “capital of the Confederacy”, is home to numerous church buildings constructed by enslaved people and many parishes within the Diocese of Virginia are grappling with their history of support for slavery and white supremacy, and their ongoing complicity in racial injustice; and 

WHEREAS repentance and repair are necessary steps toward the racial reconciliation that we, the Diocese of Virginia have stated as a primary focus of our Diocesan ministry and the people whom we have wronged through our offenses against God and our neighbor, particularly enslaved people of color, indigenous peoples, and their descendants, have not received just amends; and 

WHEREAS, various options exist for funding reparations work without any negative impact on current or future operating budgets of the Diocese, including as one example, using a portion of the approximately $19 million in existing unoccupied diocesan real estate assets which currently generate little or no income; and 

WHEREAS the General Convention has passed no fewer than (10) resolutions in the last 70 years, opposing discrimination, expressing regret for its past and present discrimination, prohibiting racial discrimination in churches, proclaiming that racism is inconsistent with the Gospel and a sin that must be eradicated, apologizing for the complicity of the Church in the slave trade, and seeking to repair these injustices “both materially and relationally; and 

WHEREAS the Episcopal Church Racial Justice Audit recommends the church institute reparations on a churchwide level for communities directly affected by the exploitation of and profiting from the “free” labor of people of color; and 

WHEREAS the dioceses of Maryland, Long Island, New York, Georgia, and Texas as well as Virginia Theological Seminary, Princeton Seminary, Georgetown University, and others, have begun the work of reparations through substantial investments of human, material, and financial resources, providing examples for others to follow; and 

WHEREAS, reparations can be defined as bringing repair and healing to those who have been wronged in processes of historical reckoning to repent, restore, and work toward reconciliation, and reparations should be determined by and made to people directly affected by such evils and may include but are not limited to honoring and recognizing those we attempted to erase; mental health, counseling, care, and renewal; educational opportunities, scholarships, and job training; homebuying and housing assistance; funding BIPOC owned and focused institutions; investing in existing communities; or direct monetary payments; 

Now be it resolved… 

1. This 227th Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia direct the Ecclesiastical Authority to appoint a Reparations Task Force to identify and propose means by which repair may begin for those areas of our structures, patterns, and common life by which Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) within the original bounds of our diocese still carry the burden of theological, social, cultural, economic, and legal injustices, exclusions, and biases born out of white supremacy and the legacy of slavery. 
2. This task force shall be appointed no later than Dec 31 , 2021, and work to carry out its mandate over the next five years, reporting quarterly to the Executive Board and annually to the Convention, reporting their findings, actions, financial status of the endowment fund, and any further recommendations for actions, including but not limited to additional and ongoing funding, institutional change, and theological revision. 
3. The Ecclesiastical Authority shall appoint the Task Force members subject to approval by the Standing Committee, with a mix of lay and clergy representatives including, to the extent feasible, BIPOC Community Leaders, The Diocesan Minister for Racial Justice & Healing, representatives from Historically Black, Latinx, and Indigenous congregations and communities, liaisons from the Dioceses of Southern Virginia, Southwestern Virginia, and West Virginia, one member of the Standing Committee, and one member of the Executive Board. 
4. This Convention requests the Executive Board to establish with the Trustees of the Funds an endowment over the next five years of $10 million to be set aside as an initial investment to begin reparations. The Trustees of the Funds shall, acting with their legal obligations as fiduciaries, and in consultation with the Task Force, the Executive Board, and the Bishop, take the necessary steps to establish such an endowment. 
5. The proceeds of the endowment shall be disbursed by the Task Force, subject to review and veto by the Executive Board for grants and loans in furtherance of such reparations. The objective of such reparation grants and loans is to provide direct benefits to BIPOC communities, people, programs, business, and institutions with preference for any which may have been specifically harmed by past unjust actions by the Diocese of Virginia, its institutions, or churches.

The Diocese of Virginia, in its ongoing commitment to racial justice and healing, acknowledges the profound harm caused by its historical complicity in chattel slavery, colonialism, violence against Indigenous peoples and the land, segregation, and structural and institutionalized racism. In 2021, the 227th Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia adopted Resolution R10A, “A Resolution to Begin the Work of Reparations in the Diocese of Virginia,” which called for the establishment of a Reparations Task Force and the creation of an initial $10 million endowment fund to begin the work of reparations in the Diocese.

The primary mission of the Reparations Task Force remains as initiated by the previous Task Force (2022-2025) and defined in Resolution R10A: to identify and propose means by which repair may begin for those areas of our structures, patterns and common life by which Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) still carry the burden of theological, social, cultural, economic, and legal injustice, exclusions and biases born out of white supremacy and the legacy of chattel slavery.

Building on the work of our predecessors, we aim to ensure alignment with the broader goals of racial justice and healing in the Diocese to make reparations an atoning act of truth, justice and transformation. The Task Force will collaborate with the Ministry for Racial Justice and Healing, which will serve as an oversight group for the Task Force’s work. The Task Force will also work in close collaboration with the Bishop and staff of the Diocese of Virginia to ensure that the work of reparations is integrated into the overall mission and ministry of the Diocese.

The Task Force will be guided by the following principles which were clarified by the extensive work done by the previous Task Force:

Reparations as a Matter of Faith:  Recognizing that reparations are a matter of faith, the Task Force will be guided by the theological and spiritual grounding of this work.

• Justice, Not Charity: The work of reparations is about justice, not charity.
• Repentance and Repair: Repentance and repair are necessary steps toward racial healing. 
• Focus on the Beloved Community: Reparations must involve more than compensating or apologizing for past harm; they must chart a discernible pathway toward the Beloved Community. 
• Community Involvement: The Task Force will actively seek and incorporate the voices, wisdom, and perspectives of the wider community, particularly those directly affected by the historical and ongoing injustices being addressed.

The Task Force will:

1. Visit every region of the Diocese of Virginia to develop and share education, theology, and ethical presentations on reparations, as defined by the Task Force, and its call for transformation of hearts and minds towards love and justice for the work of building and sustaining the Beloved Community within the Episcopal Church
2. Listen to and learn from local communities and people who are experiencing problems that result from the cultural, social, economic, and legal injustices and the exclusions and biases born out of white supremacy and systemic racism, including but not limited to: substandard housing, food deserts, sub-par educational opportunities, lack of fair wage employment, lack of standard basic health care access, and other expressions. 
3. Cultivate and develop opportunities for the Task Force, the entire Diocese, and associated committees and organizations to engage in the ministry of prayer for the work of reparation in our Diocese, including the cultivation of spiritual practices to deepen our work of repairing the breaches and invite the Diocese to engage with us. 
4. Ensure that voices, wisdom, and perspectives from the wider community are included in our work, engaging the work of reparation that is present in stories and narratives through art and other non-traditional forms.
5. Generate sustained operating capital for grants, loans, and contributions in collaboration with the Diocesan Treasurer and with the support of the Executive Board.
6. Share the work of the Task Force with the Diocese, through diocesan communiques and other forms, supporting the work of other working groups in organizing all the marketing and communications of the Task Force to the Diocese, and working to identify regions and areas throughout the Diocese where education on reparation is needed.
7. Provide regular reports on the achievement of goals and objectives to the Ministry for Racial Justice and Healing, the Standing Committee, and the Bishop on the achievement of goals and objectives.
8. Be guided by the skills of Task Force members who have experience in this specific area of work in grant design and implementation.

The Reparations Task Force will meet until such time as discharged by the Bishop or the Convention, but in no case less than five years from its formation; and will report its progress, findings, and recommendations to the Diocese through reports, educational materials, and other means of communication, as well as to the Ministry for Racial Justice and Healing, the Standing Committee, and the Bishop. Task Force Members will serve 3 year terms, with one third of the group changing each year.

• Active Participation: Attend most meetings, be prepared to contribute, and actively listen to other members
• Collaboration: Work collaboratively with other Task Force members, respecting diverse opinions and perspectives
• Communication:   Communicate effectively and respectively, both within the Task Force and with the broader community
• Confidentiality: The work of the Task Force shall be respectful of all persons involved and follow established policies and practices of the Diocese of Virginia and of The Episcopal Church regarding sensitive information.
• Accountability: Be accountable for completing assigned tasks and contributing to the overall success of the Task Force.  Dedicate the necessary time and effort to fulfill assigned responsibilities and meet deadlines.
• Support: Support the decisions and recommendations of the Task Force, even if individual opinions differ.
• Mature Spiritual Practitioner: Express humility, self-awareness, openness to learning and growth, spiritual and emotional maturity.

Task Force Leadership Team (Chair, Vice-Chair (to be appointed by the Bishop, after consultation with the Task Force), and Canon for Racial Justice and Healing

Responsibilities

• Lead and facilitate meetings, ensuring productive discussion and progress toward goals.
• Develop meeting agendas and distribute them in advance of general meetings
• Ensure all members have an opportunity to contribute
• Manage timelines and deadlines
• Act as the primary point of contact for the Task Force
• Communicate regularly with all relevant Diocesan institutions
• Prepare and present reports on the Task Force’s progress and findings

Recorder/Secretary (Selected by the Task Force)

Responsibilities

• Take accurate minutes of all meetings.
• Distribute minutes to Task Force members promptly
• Maintain records of all Task Force documents and correspondence in Basecamp
• Manage and organize information related to the Task Force’s work

Communication and Outreach

Responsibilities 

• Develop and implement a communication plan for the Task Force in consultation with the Communications team
• Communicate with the broader Diocese about the Task Force’s work (with approval from leadership)
• Prepare press releases, website updates, and other communication materials in collaboration with the diocesan communications team
• Coordinate outreach activities, such as education forums listening sessions and Town Hall meetings 

Chaplain (Appointed by the Bishop)

Responsibilities 

• Provide spiritual guidance and support to the Task Force
• Offer theological reflection on the issues being addressed
• Help the Task Force discern God’s will in their work

Important Considerations

• Skills and Experience: Match roles to the skills and experience of Task Force Member
• Flexibility: Be prepared to adjust roles and responsibilities as needed.
• Training and Support: Provide Task Force members with the necessary skills to do its work
• Evaluation: Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of the Task Force and its members
• Diversity: Racial/Ethnic, Geographic, and alternative opinions on reparations