02/17/2021

MY STORY, YOUR STORY, OUR STORY...Barbara Hamlet

This video is presented by the SOS Race Relations Task Force in honor of Black History Month. Below is Mrs. Barbara Hamlet, originally from Guyana in South America. She is the retired Director of International Education at Kenyon College and teacher of cross-cultural learning. Hear her story. Begin to understand her story. And reflect on the questions below.

"The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ." 1 Corinthians 12:12

This February we honor the stories of our black sisters and brothers in Christ, our neighbors and our friends. Truly all our stories are connected. We must address racism in our hearts, communities, and our laws so that we can live into our call as the body of Christ.
Hear the words of Barbara Hamlet about racism experienced within her Lutheran Church and in Ohio while working as the Director of International Education at Kenyon college.

Please use these questions for personal reflection or within your congregation or community:

QUESTION ABOUT BARBARA'S STORY

1. What emotions did you experience when Mrs. Hamlet shared the story about the meeting the congregation member asked to have with the pastor? Do you ultimatums like this are still issued today in ELCA congregations?

2. How has this story expanded our realization of the presence of the sin of racism in our story as a congregation and community?