R2022-07: Celebration of the Sesquicentennial of the Diocese of Southern Ohio

Whereas, the publication of the House of Bishops Report on Realizing Beloved Community commends the process of storytelling and listening to the stories of all means of building beloved community, and

Whereas, the 150th Anniversary of the founding of the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio will be in 2025, and

Whereas, the Rt. Rev. George Wayne Smith has appointed a Sesquicentennial Committee to assist his office and the diocese’s preparation and observance of this event; therefore be it

Resolved, that the 148th Diocesan Convention affirm the work of this committee; and be it further

Resolved, that a task force be appointed to commission a comprehensive history of the diocese which will include the voices of all including those who have been oppressed or marginalized.

Explanation

This project will be coordinated by the Office of Formation (which oversees Becoming Beloved Community) and the Parish History Project of the Reparations Task Force.

Impact

The observations and celebrations of our Sesquicentennial will offer ways to affirm all people in our diocese, create new ways to build community, and thus advance the realization of Becoming Beloved Community. As a diocese, we will reform the way we do our history and archival work to include people who have experienced oppression and marginalization including, but not limited to, Black and Brown people, gender and sexual minorities, Indigenous peoples, Appalachians, rural people and city people. We want to do truth-telling but also celebrate with joy. We ask congregations to complete their brief history in accordance with Bishop Smith’s request letter of January 20, 2022. Stories can be submitted at https://episcopaliansinconnection.org/parish-history-project/.

Presented by

Dianne Ebbs and the Rev. Karl Stevens, Co-chairs
Reparations Task Force