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"This
is an important story in our movement about what being welcoming
and inclusive is all about!" –Rev. Dr. Tracey Robinson Harris, Director of Congregational Services, Unitarian
Universalist Association
"This
is one of the most exciting stories within Unitarian Universalism of this generation." – Rev. Tom Chulak, District Executive, Saint Lawrence District, UUA
"This
is the most important book in our movement since Soul Work."– Paula ColeJones, founder of ADORE (A Dialog on Race & Ethnicity)
"I
believe if you want to understand the dynamics of cultural change in
a liberal congregation, this is a must read." –Rev. Dr. Richard Speck, District Executive, Joseph Priestley District
"Davies
Church is a 2007 Breakthrough Congregation and this is a wonderful
story of how they got there." – Rev. William Sinkford, President, UUA
The Charge of the
Chalice is the story of a young Black man raised in the United
Methodist Church. He graduates with a theological degree, breaks
with that Church after realizing that his liberal views don't fit
in. He stumbles across Unitarian Universalism, decides to start a
Black Unitarian Universalist Church, then ends up working with a
nearly all-White Unitarian Universalist Church. With others, he
transforms it into an integrated Church (it is now about 40% Black),
and emerges as its lead minister. It is also the story of Davies
Memorial Unitarian Universalist Church, its
leaders and members. It's a fascinating case study of integrating a
church. Finally, it's a handbook of how to purposefully integrate a
church.
John Crestwell writes in an informal, engaging style. This book is a
delight to read. It's an important and inspirational work which
should be read by anyone interested in integrating churches, or more
truly integrating any other aspect of American society.
Brian D. Hedges
FOREWORD
"You write
in order to change the world, knowing perfectly well that you probably
can't…. The world changes according to the way people see it, and if you alter, even
by a millimeter, the way....people look at reality, then you can change
it." --James Baldwin
This is a story that
needed to be told. It is a story of vision, community building, courage, faith, and friendship. Many people repeat the line, “Sunday at 11am is the most segregated hour in America,” but few people move beyond nodding their heads in agreement to actually figuring
out how to change the situation. The Davies story reminds us once again, that you must be intentional to create
and sustain the multiracial, multicultural community. There is a special ministry for ministers who see a new reality, then prepare
a congregation for diversity. Few have stepped into that role.
When Rev. Richard
Speck first announced to the Joseph Priestley District Journey Toward
Wholeness Transformation Team that Davies Memorial Unitarian Universalist
Congregation had a three-year plan to double in size and grow in diversity,
by reaching out to the surrounding predominantly African American
community, it was the most progressive antiracism proposal I had ever
heard. Rev. John Crestwell and Rev. Don Cameron shared a vision and they were so enthusiastic
about the plan that it was fun to see them in action. I was thrilled to be assigned as part of a consulting team to the church.
My first Sunday service
at Davies convinced me that their plan would succeed. Members of the congregation were warm and enthusiastic. The children were participants in the service. John sat on the front row with his two-year old son on his lap, who he passed
to his wife before going up to the pulpit to preach. Then he preached a powerful sermon about the Gaia Theory and a unified theory
of humanity and life. That day, Don was happy to be in a support role helping to prepare for lunch
and fellowship. I shared my impressions with him after the service and complimented John’s preaching. Don’s generosity spoke volumes. He said, “If you think that was good, he’s got better sermons than that.” I was sold! It was the combination of people, caring, and spiritual message that grabbed
me. If I did not already have my home church, this one I could join.
About sixty people
stayed for our afternoon workshop on being a multicultural congregation. This was another good sign. Being a believer in the “tipping point” possibility, the high turnout of congregants signaled a support for the plan
and curiosity for what was to come next.
The Davies story has
a parallel to their namesake, Rev. A. Powell Davies’ ministry at All Souls Church, Unitarian in Washington, DC. Rev. Davies had a vision for growing his faith community and for growing a multicultural
congregation. This was in the 1940’s and 1950’s during a time when the country was still tied to legal segregation. Davies was successful at both growth and the multicultural community. The story of his successful plan to start Unitarian congregations around the
Washington beltway is legendary. While he was alive, he led the formation of eight new churches. His lesser known accomplishment is that Davies began the racial integration
of the All Souls congregation. He did so by leading the congregation to take strong public stands on issues
that mattered to people of color. Protesting segregated dining rooms and restaurants and establishing the first
desegregated boys club in Washington, DC made the church visible and
relevant to people of color in the surrounding community. African Americans began to join All Souls Church. The ministry of A. Powell Davies began to prepare the congregation for diversity. Rev. Duncan Howlette followed Rev. Davies and is best known for his stance in
1968, when he told the congregation that it was time to call an African
American minister. In 1969, the congregation fulfilled Howlette’s request and called Rev. David Hilliard Eaton. The church continued to grow intentionally as a multiracial, multicultural congregation
over the 23 years of Rev. Eaton’s ministry.
Early in the consultation,
Tom Chulak and I learned that Rev. Don Cameron and the Davies congregation
always held onto the hope that they would become a multicultural congregation. But hoping is one thing and knowing what to do is another. Their partnership with John Crestwell invited the new energy and commitment
of someone who thought he knew what to do.
It has been four years
since the proposal to grow and diversify Davies Memorial Church was
presented. The vibrancy of the church continues to grow as the congregation grows. The
staff and members know that their effort to build an inclusive spiritual
community is something special.
This church has ushered
in a new paradigm, like the Olympic athlete who breaks a world record. Once a record is broken, others begin to break that record because now they
believe and know that it can be done. This book is full of insights and guidance for ministers and congregations interested
in leading their churches into a multiracial, multicultural future. It is the first of its type for Unitarian Universalist ministers. By sharing the intimate details of the joys and struggles to change church culture,
John, Don and the Davies community may have “altered by a millimeter” the way some of us look at growth and diversity in our churches. We hope that this book will be widely read and that leaders will begin to usher
in a new paradigm that makes 11am on Sunday morning an hour when people
from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds congregate for spiritual
renewal and fellowship.
Paula Cole Jones
Anti-oppression Consultant
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