Becoming Beloved Community

Sacred Ground

In the fall of 2020, St. Paul’s held the inaugural Sacred Ground Listening Circle, an offering of the National Church’s Becoming Beloved Community initiative. Sacred Ground is a film and readings-based dialogue series on race, that is grounded in faith. And so it happened that during the initial Covid Pandemic period and the racial unrest following the tragedy of the murder of George Floyd, St. Paul’s launched Sacred Ground. A group of twelve pilgrims delved deeply into the history of racism in the United States and in the Church. Zoom discussions met bi-monthly to talk about the films and readings the group studied. All the participants found Sacred Ground an enlightening experience and it became a springboard for further learning and growth. A second Sacred Ground Listening Circle followed the next year, and short-term Becoming Beloved Community discussion groups were offered during the summer months. An ongoing Sacred Space Book Club grew out of the Sacred Ground and Becoming Beloved Community Programs.

Sacred Space Book Club

The Sacred Space Book Club grew out of the Sacred Ground and Becoming Beloved Community programs and began meeting in July of 2023. The Club meets each month, September through May,  at 3:15 p.m. in Bush Hall to discuss works of both fiction and non-fiction that further our understanding of the history of inequity, discrimination and pain suffered by members of minority and marginalized communities. Participants help build the list of books to read and take turns facilitating the discussion. It is not necessary to attend every meeting to participate. Sacred Space Book Club members are invited to attend Saturday’s 5:00 p.m. Quiet Eucharist in the Parish Hall following the meeting. Please contact Ellen Kentner for more information about the Book Club at ellen@stpaulsdelray.org.