What We Offer

 

The Center for Jubilee Practice primarily accompanies congregations on their journeys towards reparations and restorative justice. What does accompaniment mean? It means our role is to reflect back what we discover in the congregation, direct a process of historical research, support engagement with cutting edge justice work in the broader community, development a concrete action plan for redistribution of resources and acts of healing, repair, and reparation, and coach clients as they work to implement said plan. We also work to bear witness to the experiences of those marginalized in church work through conversations, creating brave spaces, and partnerships.

Most congregations/communities should expect a 6 to 18 month long project depending on where the congregation/community is starting. We would expect to sign an initial “discernment period” covenant with the congregation/community/mid-council body for 3-6 months, followed by a second contract based on a desire to continue from both parties. We also offer contracts for continued coaching upon the creation of a concrete action plan.

Stages of Accompaniment Include

Discernment

We begin our work by discerning where your community has been historically, where you are now, and where you’re seeking to go. We do this in partnership with a committee or task force of your creation that has the power to implement change. This stage involves:

Education

Creation of educational efforts including:

  • Bible/book studies

  • Justice 101 seminars (white body supremacy, unconscious dominant culture privilege, intentional language awareness, etc.)

  • Thoughtfully designed immersion experiences/deep focus travel seminars

Implementation

For those wanting help making their concrete action plan a reality, we are available to continue accompaniment via coaching. This stage involves:

Other Work

We are also available for other engagements such as:

  • Workshops

  • Classes

  • Webinars

  • Speaking Engagements

    …and more

Development

Once discernment is completed, we partner and work with you on the work of education, considering cultural change, and developing a concrete action plan. This stage involves:

Next Steps Preparation

Support in preparing and sharing a proposal for action steps with the broader community (together with your Task Force).

Affinity Group Creation

Help developing a model of supportive affinity groups to create space for non-dominant culture people within the community.

Group Coaching

Continued (though less frequent) meetings with the task force to coach and consult it through bringing the goals of the action plan to the larger community and working to make them a reality.

Assessment

Assessment of your community (online survey for the entire community, as well as an effort to work specifically with BIPOC/LGBTQIA+ folks in your community to create space for their honest feedback).

Historical Research

Partnering with church historians and knowledgeable members to learn about the history of the community with a focus on racial and social justice causes.

Preaching/Teaching

Occasional preaching/teaching to assist with formation for the entire community (up to once per quarter).

Task Force Consultation

Regular consultation (1-2 times per month) with a Healing/Repair/Reparations Task Force. This task force must have the confidence of the governing body, be explicitly tasked with developing concrete proposals for action for the consideration of the governing body and the broader community, and be tasked specifically with developing a proposal for action within a prescribed period of time.

Leadership Coaching

Meeting with leadership to coach and consult them as they bring the concrete action plan to decision making entities and work to lead their community in enacting the listed goals.