Racial Audit Team Reflection

I have to confess that when I said yes to working with Sean as co-convener of the Audit Team, I did not know what to expect. There are so many things I have learned. MFSA, as an organization, has gone through many ups and downs since it was first started. The organization has survived because it has been willing to change as needed to meet the needs of persons who have been marginalized. It has protested policies that overall helped one group maintain power and others feel powerless.

In this difficult time period we can no longer ignore the treatment of people who have been outside the circle of power in the world and in the Methodist church. I want to thank the board and program council for being willing to look within our policies, practices and unintentional biases to see how we can do things differently. By this, I mean, how can we be more inclusive? How can we be more of a partner to our constituency groups? How can we learn to lead by sometimes following?

To find out where we can begin this process, we are preparing two surveys to send out. The surveys' purpose is to get feedback from those we communicate with the most and the least. Your input is important to MFSA. We cannot grow as an organization in programming or membership without knowing your thoughts and ideas. I hope you are willing to be part of this process by returning the first survey which is mainly intended to give or verify your e -mail address to MFSA. The second survey will be more detailed.

We are becoming an organization that can meet the needs of a diverse pool of people. We will continue to support social justice issues, especially those that have an economic impact in the world. We recognize that this may mean change and change is not always easy. I hope that you will journey with us as we seek to learn what the Lord requires of us

Grace and Peace,

Pat Stewart