Do more. And do better.

Updated on

Dear Friends,

In the past couple of months, we’ve seen a tremendous focus in our city, nation, and world on the pursuit of racial equity and justice. Statues have come down, police reform has been demanded, and people from all walks of life are standing up for change in ways our country and world has not seen in decades. Young people of conscience and heart are leading the charge.

As you know, confronting racism has been a major focus of our life and ministry at Richmond Hill since our founding in 1987. Our location and call uniquely position us to, in the words of the prophet Micah, “seek justice, love kindness, and walk humbly” (Micah 6:8) with God and neighbor.

For the past five years, our Koinonia School of Race and Justice has provided a means for us to equip people in three ways: by engaging in transformative, self-reflective work; by teaching dialogue skills for handling tough conversations; and by preparing participants to go into the world and seek change and reform through social justice engagement.

This time of pandemic and social unrest provides an opportunity for our Richmond Hill community to take a closer look at ourselves and ask how we can deepen our pledge toward and engagement with racial healing. We can always do more. We can always do better. Believing that God has “given us a ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:18), we recommit ourselves now to this work.

Listed below are ways we continue our commitment to racial reconciliation and areas where we are expanding our efforts. We hope you’ll step further into this work with us.

What Richmond Hill has been doing:

  • Established The Judy Project—under the guidance of historian, genealogist, and Richmond Hill resident Pam Smith—to document and unearth African-American stories connected to what we know as Richmond Hill.
    • This has included engaging professionals who have identified the shed structure on our property to be a remnant of a former slave house.
    • We’ve begun archaeological work in and around the structure, as well as various spots across the property (in connection with our capital campaign projects).
  • Delivered—with the aid of the Virginia Humanities—a variety of programming to explore the African-American experience.
    • An expert panel helped launch “Unearthing Buried Stories”
    • Forced by COVID to shift from an in-person event to a virtual presentation, author Lois Leveen shared insights into her research of “Mary Bowser”
    • Additionally hosted virtual presentations focused on the disproportionate impacts of COVID-19; Juneteenth; and Black Lives Matter
  • Engaged staff and residents in conversation and deep sharing in response to the killing of George Floyd and the actions it spurred.
  • Modified our Midday Prayers to include specific prayers for the protests and their participants and leaders, while incorporating Native and African prayer resources.
  • Delivered COVID-related care packages and—with grant funding from the Community Foundation—boxed food provisions and prepared meals to students (and their families) in our Armstrong Leadership Program.
  • At our 125th anniversary of the Monte Maria Chapel, incorporated new insights and racial truth-telling associated with its original construction.
  • Approved Juneteenth as an observed Richmond Hill holiday, beginning 2021.
  • In addition to the active engagement of a number of residents and staff, the two of us have participated in a variety of initiatives (among them Clergy Action RVA, the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, and Initiatives of Change Ministers Public Policy Forum) in advocating for change in our community; this included signing onto an early June letter calling for a police review board.

What we’re working on:

  • The faculty of Koinonia, our School of Race and Justice, is refining the school’s mission and focus in light of recent events and is planning a number of experiences for learning and action through the coming 2020-2021 program year. (Information will be released as it becomes available.)
  • We’re understanding more about the names frequently voiced at Richmond Hill—e.g., Adams and Taylor. We expect to de-emphasize these in our everyday life (due to their connection to colonization and enslavement on our property and beyond), while finding ways to elevate the names of people who lived on this land and have been ignored. This includes giving consideration to amending the historic marker (placed just three years ago) or installing a companion marker to more accurately tell our story.
  • The design of our capital campaign included creation of an Opportunity Fund, allowing Richmond Hill to be responsive to emerging community needs and opportunities. We’ll pursue Give828.org as an opportunity to direct funds to their identified “Black-led, black benefiting nonprofits.”
  • The south-side of our perimeter wall has been covered with graffiti for much of the last two years. Lindsey Franklin, Associate Pastor for Development, is guiding our response by connecting a broad set of stakeholders with interest in the wall’s appearance and the adjoining park. These ongoing conversations afford the opportunity to fully tell the history of this hill/property—including African-Americans and Native People.
  • The Judy Project anticipates hosting community conversations to consider options related to the slave house, archaeology, and potential installation of an art feature in the garden. Funding for these recommendations will be sought within the second phase of our capital campaign, beginning 2021.
  • We confidently await other important and as yet unidentified steps/actions that emerge from our ongoing self-reflection, listening, and community engagement.

This is a shared mission
Our mission of seeking God’s healing of metropolitan Richmond is a bold one that requires faithful and prayerful participation from across our region. We invite you to dive (deeper) into this effort and join us as we listen, learn, and further act on what it means to fully advocate for racial reconciliation. To explore further or connect to this work, contact us at 804 783-7903 or info@RichmondHillVA.org or visit our website or Facebook page.

Striving to seek justice, love kindness, and walk humbly,

Lisa and Joel

You may donate to our Annual Fund by clicking here or mailing a check to Richmond Hill, 2209 East Grace Street, Richmond, VA 23223.