Category: Racial Justice Commission

'Three Churches United' Lead 'Bending the Arc' Racial Justice Pilgrimage for the Diocese

3/12/2025

View an album of photos from the trip on Facebook at this link.

Last week, 45 pilgrims from our diocese traveled together on the “Bending the Arc Racial Justice Pilgrimage” first envisioned by the rectors of the three historic African American congregations on the Charleston Peninsula—Calvary, St. Mark’s, and St. Stephen’s—known between the churches as "Three Churches United." Their journey took them first to Atlanta, Georgia and then on to Alabama with stops in Montgomery and Selma. In addition to pilgrims from the three churches, there were members of the Racial Justice and Reconciliation Commission and other friends from across the diocese.

The transformative pilgrimage would not have been possible without the collective efforts of the three priests who lead "Three Churches United": the Rev. Ricardo Bailey, rector of Calvary, Charleston; the Very Rev. Michael Shaffer, interim rector of St. Mark's, Charleston; and the Rev. Adam Shoemaker, rector of St. Stephen’s, Charleston.

The pilgrimage was thoughtfully planned and expertly managed by the Rev. Laura Rezac, executive director of St. Christopher Camp and Conference Center. “Her outstanding work created a crucible that allowed participants to become immersed in a rhythm of taking in sites, worship, and thoughtful small group reflection time,” said Bishop Ruth Woodliff-Stanley. “She managed every detail of the trip, taking great care of the pilgrims.” She was provided with invaluable assistance by Shawan Gillians, a seminarian in our diocese who has been interning with St. Stephen's, Charleston, but is a member of St. Mark's.

Key stops along the journey were:

Absalom Jones Episcopal Center for Racial Healing in Atlanta
Ebenezer Baptist Church and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Atlanta
Legacy Museum in Montgomery, Alabama
National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama
Selma, Alabama - Met Bryan Stevenson, the founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, and attended service with him as the preacher
Selma - Marched alongside thousands across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in participation of the 60th anniversary of "Bloody Sunday"

Reflections from Church Leaders and Bishop Ruth
We will share the reflection of the Very Rev. Michael Shaffer in the next issue, as he led the effort to plan this amazing journey, but here are reflections offered by Father Bailey and Father Shoemaker, as well as Bishop Ruth.

From Father Ricardo Bailey: "I feel that this pilgrimage alongside with the Diocese showed all of us the possibilities that are available when we go beyond our parochial boundaries and work at what we can tangibly do for the greater glory of God and for the good of the people of God in our Diocese. I think that the work of racial reconciliation and justice is always in need especially in our world and in our local communities when so many of our siblings in Christ are still marginalized and forgotten as a whole. The challenge that we have is to courageously learn and listen to one another so that we do not set ourselves or our children up to repeat the unjust treatment and atrocities of the past. We must be serious about our Baptismal Covenant and how that Covenant equips and challenges us to "do the work" of transformation and liberation within every structure of our society - BEGINNING with the Church. This is not a ministry to alienate anyone, it is a ministry of cooperative incorporation of everyone because we all are created in the image and likeliness of our God. Like Sly from the 70's Group, "Sly & the Family Stone" said in "Everyday People," "...we got to live together!"

From Father Adam Shoemaker: "This was a powerful collective experience visiting some key civil rights sites and culminating in the 60th anniversary march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. We joined with tens of thousands of others who had traveled to walk the bridge together not only to honor the saints of Selma but to advocate for a restoration of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that has been gutted in recent years. Our time at the Legacy Museum and the Peace and Justice Memorial in Montgomery, founded by Bryan Stevenson’s Equal Justice Initiative, offered us stark reminders not only of the legacy of slavery but it’s links to Jim Crow and our present era of mass incarceration. Our pilgrims returned inspired and energized to continue the work of justice in our own diocese and to further the Three Churches United partnership between St. Stephen’s, Historic Calvary, and St. Mark’s."

From Bishop Ruth Woodliff-Stanley:
Bishop Woodliff-Stanley was part of the pilgrimage and offered these reflections of her experience. “We were 45 pilgrims. This pilgrimage culminated with our worship at Historic Brown Chapel, a stop made possible by the skillful efforts of Ms. Vermelle Simmons, co-chair of the Racial Justice and Reconciliation Commission and Vice President of the Standing Committee. At Brown, we heard Bryan Stevenson bring us a riveting call to our work now, before we then joined thousands in the march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge to mark the anniversary of the courageous march 60 years ago to secure voter rights.” Bryan Steveson is the founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, a human rights organization in Montgomery, Alabama. He is a public interest lawyer who has dedicated his career to helping the poor, the incarcerated, and the condemned.

The bishop said that the pilgrimage was transformative, and quoted one member of the pilgrimage, Antoinette Bennett (Calvary, Charleston), who said the journey helped her “dump the funk” about the mounting concerns she has about “the threats to the fabric of justice in this country, a fabric that has been woven by the blood of the martyrs.”

“As another pilgrim, Patrina Daniels (also Calvary, Charleston) noted, speaking of African American people in this country, Hope is our superpower,’ which is a phrase she first heard from Bryan Stevenson,” said Bishop Woodliff-Stanley. “That made an impression on me, too. That can be true for all of us. We can anchor in the practice of hope. This hope is not a sentiment, but rather it is the practice that seeds and grows God’s true beloved community. This beloved community shines brighter than any deeds born of fear, of greed, of mean spiritedness and ignorance; it shines through the most horrific acts of violence and evil. Hope cannot be defeated. When we anchor in hope, as we saw over and over through the lives of the saints from the Middle Passage through enslavement and lynchings to Jim Crow and mass incarceration, when we anchor in hope, mercy and grace, then compassion and truth prevail. And when these gifts from God prevail, we will at last experience true liberation for everyone.”

The bishop continued: “Our lives truly are bound one to another. In our work to bring justice and mercy, if we stand together and stay the course, we can and we will prevail. Indeed, the arc of the universe is long and bends toward justice. We must, as Bryan Stevenson called us to do, be proximate to those whose voice, whose story, whose song we need to hear. We must not cede the narrative—we must shape it from the lives of the saints and martyrs who have brought us this far. As we sang just after sunrise crossing the bridge into Selma—'Ain’t gonna let nobody turn me around.’ Nobody. Too many have given their lives. We can be brave. We can make hope our superpower. We can get into good trouble, necessary trouble, as John Lewis still beckons us to do. Angels and archangels surround us. We can do the work. We can, and we will.”

The Rev. Canon Ramelle McCall, who attended the pilgrimage as a member of Racial Justice Commission and our diocesan Canon for Justice and Future Leaders, provided the following summary of the trip, detailing the stops along the journey.

Day 1
We began our pilgrimage at the Absalom Jones Center, located among notable HBCUs such as Morehouse College, Clark Atlanta College, and Morris Brown University. The Center is renowned for its racial healing initiatives, including antiracism programs that help the broader Episcopal Church confront its privilege and address racism. Our next stop was Ebenezer Baptist Church, the home of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., followed by a visit to the King Memorial, where we paid our respects at the burial sites of Dr. King and Coretta Scott King. Afterward, we departed Atlanta and arrived in Montgomery, Alabama.

Day 2
Our first stop in Montgomery was the Legacy Museum, which offers a profound narrative on the horrors of the Atlantic Slave Trade, lynchings, and their stories, along with a display of soil samples from various U.S. locations where lynchings occurred. The museum also recounts the impact of the Montgomery Bus Boycott and other civil rights movements in the city. It concludes with a mural celebrating Black heroes and leaders from across the U.S., symbolizing resilience and longevity.

Day 3
We visited the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, where records of lynching are displayed on rusted metal blocks hanging from the building’s ceiling. The museum allows visitors to see the names and years of those who were lynched. Additionally, information about these lynchings is exhibited on rusted metal coffins arranged across a large grass and gravel area. Later, we explored Freedom Park, showcasing artwork representing the horrors of the Atlantic Slave Trade, as well as punitive slavery laws that justified whippings, amputations, and branding for violations. The Park features plantation houses and a large memorial wall honoring individuals impacted by slavery in the United States, culminating in a mini waterfall display inscribed with "We Shall Overcome."

Day 4
We journeyed to Selma, Alabama, on the 60th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday,” attending a service at Brown Memorial AME Chapel. The service included speakers from the Congressional Black Caucus, such as Congresswoman Terri Sewell (Alabama), Hakeem Jeffries (New York), and Senator Angela Alsobrooks (Maryland). Bryan Stevenson of the Equal Justice Initiative, who is also the creator of the Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, delivered the sermon. After the service, our group gathered and walked to the iconic Edmund Pettus Bridge. The atmosphere was celebratory, humbling, and impactful as hundreds marched together for voting rights.

Canon McCall shared his thoughts on the journey as one of the 45 pilgrims: “This pilgrimage impacted me deeply in multiple ways,” he said. “My emotions surged when I entered the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. I was overwhelmed by gratitude to be in a place where Dr. King's sermons inspired countless individuals. This experience reinforced my belief in the power of words and their ability to offer hope in a world filled with challenges.”
The group was surprised to have the opportunity to meet the Rev. Jesse Jackson, a true pioneer of the civil rights movement of the 1960s, who happened to be staying at the same hotel in Selma. “We felt starstruck by this civil rights leader whose work has profoundly impacted both our country and my life,” said Canon McCall. “It felt like a significant affirmation of our efforts during this meaningful pilgrimage.”

The final event, walking across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, where 60 years before, Black citizens had been met by extreme violence at the hands of police officers when they were only trying to gain the right to vote. The day that came to be known as “Bloody Sunday,” was a key turning point before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 finally became the law of the land. “I felt immense gratitude for this unique experience, knowing it would inspire us to continue our work toward justice and healing,” said Canon McCall.

We hope to share more reflections on the pilgrimage in the coming weeks. Please view an album of photos from the trip on Facebook at this link.

'Three Churches United' Lead 'Bending the Arc' Racial Justice Pilgrimage for the Diocese

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Racial Justice Commission Tours Diocese With the Bishop

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