art by Daniel Minter
The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire is honored to partner with the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire to offer a collection of short readings on little known historic figures from New Hampshire’s African American community for the Episcopalians’ 2018 Lenten Program, beginning Ash Wednesday, February 14.
Please join us in prayer:
Becoming Beloved Community Prayer
Creator of All, When you send your Holy Spirit to us in baptism, You invite us into deep communion with you and with one another. In this moment, as we work together to Become Beloved Community, inspire us to tell the Truth about the Church and Race, that we may persevere in resisting evil, and come to you, and to one another, to repent and be forgiven.
Strengthen us to engage with our words and actions, And our careful listening, the Dream of a Beloved Community, Where God’s Good News is proclaimed and fully lived. Flood us with your love, that we learn to love ourselves, And each other; and become reconcilers who seek the face of Jesus in our neighbors, and ourselves. Teach us to practice your way of love, that we will strive for justice and peace in our churches, our neighborhoods, our institutions, and our systems. Bless us, that as followers of Jesus Christ, We may work together to realize your dream for us: Your children united in thought, word and deed, in You. We ask these things in the name of Jesus our Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit who moves within us to sanctify us. Amen.
~ The Rev. Teresa Gocha, Chair of the Diversity Committee
THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
We hope these reflections help us to use Lent as a time to broaden our knowledge, to say our prayers in a way that helps us to repent (change our mind) and appreciate the contributions of those named. For, if we are to make steps in becoming “A Beloved Community,” we cannot remain ignorant of our history, including our contributions to oppression and to the brave souls who sacrificed so much.
As is always the case: “the truth shall set us free.”
The Reconciliation Commission also encourages parish study groups to read together Living into God’s Dream: Dismantling Racism in America, edited by Catherine Meeks, to learn more about the origins and meaning of “the Beloved Community” and many ways the Spirit draws us closer to its realization.
May we fulfill our baptismal vow of promoting justice, peace, and love by entering this Holy Season of Lent with an openness to listen, to wait, to pray and to open our eyes and ears.
Regards,
The Reconciliation Commission
The Collection of Stories, Week 7
Day 37, Mar. 28, 2018, Lionel Johnson
Day 38, Mar. 29, 2018, Lt. Robert O Goodman Jr.
Day 39, Mar. 30, 2018, The Emerson Reed Family
Day 40, Mar. 31, 2018, Valerie Cunningham
The Collection of Stories, Week 6
Day 31, Mar. 21, 2018, Noyes Academy
Day 32, Mar. 22, 2018, Nellie Brown Mitchell
Day 33, Mar. 23, 2018, Lydia Chesley Dixon & James Dixon
Day 34, Mar. 24, 2018, Caesar Parker
Day 35, Mar. 26, 2018, Elizabeth Ann Virgil
Day 36, Mar. 27, 2018, Dr. Albert C. Johnson
The Collection of Stories, Week 5
Day 25, Mar. 14, 2018, Cyrus/Siras DeBruce
Day 26, Mar. 15, 2018, Betsey Due Razee
Day 27, Mar. 16, 2018, Nancy Gardner Prince
Day 28, Mar. 17, 2018, Frederick Douglass in New Hampshire
Day 29, Mar. 19, 2018, Oliver Cromwell Gilbert
Day 30, Mar. 20, 2018, Harriet Wilson
The Collection of Stories, Week 4
Day 19, Mar. 7, 2018, Ona Marie Judge Staines
Day 20, Mar. 8, 2018, Dinah, Chloe and Plato Waldron
Day 21, Mar. 9, 2018, George Blanchard
Day 22, Mar. 10, 2018, The 1799 Petition for Freedom
Day 23, Mar. 12, 2018, Richard Potter
Day 24, Mar. 13, 2018, Esther Whipple Mullinaux
The Collection of Stories, Week 3
Day 13, Feb. 28, 2018, Cesar Long, Dinah, George, Alice & Paul
Day 14, Mar. 1, 2018, Primus Fowle
Day 15, Mar. 2, 2018, Dinah Chase Whipple
Day 16, Mar. 3, 2018, Vance Coit
Day 17, Mar. 5, 2018, The Thomas Paul Family
Day 18, Mar. 6, 2018, Pomp & Candace Spring
The Collection of Stories, Week 2
Day 7, Feb. 21, 2018, Cato Fisk & Jenny
Day 8, Feb. 22, 2018, Wentworth Cheswell
Day 9, Feb. 23, 2018, Jude Hall
Day 10, Feb. 24, 2018, Sampson Moore Battis
Day 11, Feb. 26, 2018, The Portsmouth African Burying Ground
Day 12, Feb. 27, 2018, Seco
The Collection of Stories, Week 1
Day 1, Feb. 14, 2018, Will Clarkson
Day 2, Feb. 15, 2018, Prince Whipple
Day 3, Feb. 16, 2018, Boad
Day 4, Feb. 17, 2018, Amos Fortune
Day 5, Feb. 19, 2018, Corydon Chesley
Day 6, Feb. 20, 2018, Dinah Gibson
