an afro-anglican journey - guest blog
The Life of an Afro-Anglican
Earl Clinton Williams, Jr.
Being born and brought up in the Episcopal Church has been an interesting thing to experience. Most of my friends through school did not attend the Episcopal Church, and when I would tell them what church I did attend, they would ask what Episcopal meant. I remember working at a camp in the Pocono Mountains and being asked that question by another counselor. He responded by saying "Oh, you go to one of those quiet churches." All that I could do was to smile and say that I did. I think that it was at that point in my life in which I noticed that most of the Episcopalians that I knew were white. Sure two of my best friends and most of my mother's family were Episcopalians, and were black, but I really didn't know many other Black Episcopalians.
The Diocese of Pennsylvania had a number of Afrocentric Episcopal congregations, and for the first 9 years of my life my family attended one, and even the church that we switched to after we moved to another area of Philadelphia was very mixed, outside of those I knew because of my congregation, I didn't know any. Well, let me rephrase that. I was not aware of other Black Episcopalians.
I was in high school when one of my English teachers had us write a term paper on any topic that she approved of, and that we all had to choose a different topic. I chose to do the history of the Episcopal Church because at that time I had an interest in becoming ordained as a Deacon. I told her what my subject was going to be, and she said fine. A few days later we were talking after class, and one of the other students came up and said that she wanted to write about the history of the Episcopal Church. The teacher pointed to me and said that she had chosen the same topic as me, so she needed to pick another topic. The two of us sat down and talked and were both amazed that we had run into another Black Episcopalian. She went to the congregation that my parents wanted for us to go to, but that my sister and I didn't like.
When I moved to Oakland in 1980, I figured that since I had made a change in where I lived, I might as well change the church denomination that I attended. After being here for a little over a month and attending other church denominations, I awoke one Sunday morning needing to go to an Episcopal service. I asked my aunt, who's house I was living in at the time, where the closest Episcopal Church was. We looked in the phonebook and found two that were close by. She drove me over to the first one, but I just didn't like the color that the church was painted, so we drove over to the second one, and she asked me if I wanted to go to that one or back to the first one. I looked at the clock and saw that service was about to start, and said that I would go to that one. Now I wasn't thrilled with the looks of this church either from the outside, but it had a better paint job. When I walked through the doors, I knew that I was home. My searches for a new denomination lead me back to the one that I was already in.
As I learned about the Diocese of California, I was amazed to find that it only had two Afrocentric congregations. This bothered me, but I was happy where I was. I was amazed that the number of Black Clergy was small. I knew that it had a chapter of the Union of Black Episcopalians, but I was wrong. I had come from a very orthodox congregation, to a moderate one. The Altar not against the wall? How sacrilegious. Not using the 1928 Book of Common Prayer for the 8am service? Use Rite II for the other service? My word, what are these people in this diocese thinking? They must think that they are in California... Oh that's right, this IS California. As I continued to learn about the diocese, it made me realize that the Episcopal Church is not the same in each diocese, but I was in the denomination that I loved, and still do.
Now I had no intention of getting involved in anything outside of going to service, but before I knew it I was involved. As I continued to become more and more involved in my congregation, I began to wonder if I needed to leave the Episcopal Church again, for I was seeing things that bothered me, one of those being the lack of Blacks within the Episcopal Church in this area. Sure we had a good mix in this congregation, but when I went to events throughout the diocese, the lack of Black faces bothered me. We had a monk who attended the church, and I spoke to him about it one Sunday after service. Brother Paul (RIP), listened to me and in a quiet voice told me to do what I felt was best for me, but I had gone through that earlier journey only to come back, and that is most likely what I will do again, so I should not let it get me down. I took what he said to heart, and figured that I would just stick with things within my congregation.
I attended a couple of things in the diocese where there were a good number of other black faces, but still it bothered me. At a couple of these events, I realized that the only black voices that the diocese would listen to came from members of the two Afrocentric congregations, an that the rest really didn't matter. I knew that no matter how hard the rest of us tried, our voice would not be heard.
After about 4 years, I left that congregation to go to one that was closer to where I was living. I was determined this time to only go to service, and that was going to be all of my involvement. I guess that the Holy Trinity had other plans, as I soon found myself involved in other thing. I finally put my foot down and swore that I was going to cut my activities to just going to service. I think that lasted for just a few months.
About 3 years ago, my Pastor invited me to go to dinner at another congregation where other people of color within the church were going to have a meeting. I figured that I would go for the free meal, but I wasn't going to get involved. Oh it was great to see other black faces from within the diocese, but even then we were the minority amongst the minorities. As I think back upon that dinner, I think that there were a total of 7 black faces in a room of about 50. Before I knew it, my involvement in things began to grow at the diocesan level. Then suddenly one day I realized that I felt like Jonah in the story of Jonah and the Whale. No matter what I tried, I have ended back up active in the church. Was that what Brother Paul telling me in his unique way?
Like I did in with the congregations, I wonder what this diocese really has to offer and I to offer as a person of color? Why should I put the effort in to do things on the Diocesan level when I know that when I walk on the ground and in the buildings of the Episcopal Diocese at California & Taylor that I will only see a couple of pictures of people of color, and I had to look hard for those? It bothers me at times to go onto the property and the only people of color that I see working anywhere there are "Indians" and not "Chiefs". It bothers me that we have one of the finest seminaries in the world and the best School for Deacons in the world, but the vocations of being either a Priest or Deacon really isn't presented to the youth of color as viable careers.
As I have sat in commission meetings not too long ago, I have come to realize that those of us who are Afro-Anglicans really don't know each other, or get involved here. I know that some of it has to do with the lack of color in DioHouse, but I think that if we get involved that we could make a difference on who is inside there. Yes I want for the Bishop to hire the best-qualified people for jobs regardless of their color, but it would be great to walk into that place and know that we of color have some voices inside those walls. We of color would then feel as though we really matter to the diocese.
But even with the things that upset me color wise with this diocese, I love the Diocese of California. I believe that if we all work with Bishop Marc in fulfilling his dreams and desires, we will see what will become the most diverse diocese in the world. The Primates could write all of the communiqués that they desire about how we need to change things to fit THEIR pattern, but this is a diocese that follows the way that the Holy Trinity wishes.
I'm going to continue this joyful ride in this diocese with the belief that this diocese will help in fulfilling the dream of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and so many other great Black leaders. I believe that some day some day we will not think about trying to become multicultural and multiethnic, but a place where when we build new churches that they will be that way naturally. I want for their to be a time and the norm that when the National General Convention meets that when resolutions come from this diocese, they don't get discussed in committees, but go straight to both Houses and are fully supported by all, for people will know that they have come from a diocese that works together regardless of the color of our skin.
The diocese has begun to change in that it does listen to the voices of those not within the now one Afrocentric congregation. Now we just need to get Afro-Anglicans and other people of color involved at all levels of the diocese. We need to get our Clergy of Color to be visible to the youth of color so that our youth realize that becoming a Cleric of Color is a viable career.
I call upon the diocese to find visible place on the grounds of Grace Cathedral to place pictures of current clergy and laity of color, so that all will see that this is not a diocese or church of nothing but Europeans, but that we are diverse.
I call upon the Clergy and Laity of color within this diocese to get involved with the different Ethnic Commissions, and to be visible at different events not only at the diocesan level, but also at events held at other congregations.
It's going to take more than just the office to make changes and us visible. We must also go out and do what it takes to make the world know that we are an inclusive to all regardless of our color.
Paraphrasing the old Negro Spiritual:
In Christ there is no Black or White
In him no Straight or Gay
But on Great fellowship of Love
Throughout the whole wide world
May The Peace, Presence and Love of the Holy Trinity be always with you.
