Racial Justice for Authorized Ministers & Lay Leaders — Foundations

This 8-hour workshop is designed for both lay leaders and for Authorized Ministers who have not had racial justice training within the past 3 years and is recommended to Associations that require racial justice training.

Content includes:

• A broad, but not comprehensive, introduction to race as a concept, racism and its various forms, and various forms of working toward racial justice. Particular attention is paid to Christian foundations for racism and the history of slavery and colonization in New England.
• Participants will give attention to understanding themselves racially and unpack the stories their ministry settings tell in terms of race. This workshop utilizes caucus spaces for white people and people of color to discuss and explore their unique experiences of racialization.
• Reflection on the power churches and other ministry settings have, and which Authorized Ministers wield as individuals, and how this power can be utilized for racial justice.

Learning outcomes:

• Understand and articulate four realms of racism
• Recognize the role of Christianity as a foundation and expression of racism
• Gain insight into oneself as a racialized person and the racialization of your ministry setting
• Identify forms of power available within your ministry setting and possibilities for action for racial justice
• Learning takes place both as an individual and as a leader within your setting

Includes a 1 hour lunch break and a few shorter breaks throughout.

This training includes required pre-work, both reading and engaging in a response. Earlier offerings of this training included a dense history section in a primarily lecture format. Responding to participant feedback, we are shifting that material to pre-reading so that we can focus training time on digesting this material and making it relevant to you and your ministry setting. Your attention to the pre-work will affect your and your colleagues’ learning, so making adequate time for this work is appreciated. You will receive detailed instructions about this assignment about one month prior to the training date.  This email will come from transform@sneucc.org (Center for Transformational Leadership).

This is an interactive workshop that requires active participation throughout, including through self-reflection and writing, small group discussion, and large group engagement.  Please be sure you are in a setting that allows for this.  Please note, attendance and participation in the full session is required to receive a certificate.

May 16, 2026
8:30 am – 5:30 pm
This workshop will be hosted via Zoom.

Registration closes on May 11, 2026

The standard cost of this program is $230 for Authorized Ministers and $115 for Laity. Participants from within the Southern New England Conference UCC pay a discounted rate of $175 for Authorized Ministers and $89 for Laity made possible through Proportional Giving to Our Church’s Wider Mission, individual donors, and other gifts to the Southern New England Conference.  The rate for SNEUCC Members in Discernment is $59.

You may pay online at the completion of this registration form. If you are paying by check, please contact Amanda Martin (MartinA@sneucc.org) and send payment to SNEUCC, Attn. CTL, 805 Old Main St., Rocky Hill CT 06067. All registration fees must be paid by close of registration. Refunds are not available once registration has closed.