We held a parish-wide conversation about racism in the community on October 25, 2020

Police reform had been the subject of discussion for several weeks by a small group including myself (Fr. David), Canon Casson, Rabbi Krantz, Bebe Coker, and Sam Van Horne.

We spent a great deal of time reflecting on the role of policing in the community and the need for reform to counter systemic racism that we see all around the country at this time. These conversations have been incredibly important, and so we extended the conversation to the wider parish and community of Wilmington on October 25, 2020. Here was our announcement:

“We invite you to attend a Zoom discussion about the historical foundations of the police and policing reform in Delaware. We will inform members of the congregation about how different groups, including the Law Enforcement Accountability Task Force, are working to bring more transparency to the police. The Task Force has subcommittees focused on use of force, transparency, community policing, and workforce development. This is a moment where we, as Christians, can use our voices to advocate for social justice and meaningful policing reform that can help bring about equity in policing and also prevent police abuses from remaining hidden — abuses that are more likely to be perpetrated on Black people.”

Peace,
Fr. David+, OA