Registration will open in early January for the second affinity group created specifically for clergy of color. The group will be led by Rev. Dr. Danielle Buhuro, an experienced pastoral care practitioner, author, and scholar.
The group is open to all Southern New England Conference clergy who identify as people of color, as well as to clergy of color from the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts and the New England Synod ELCA. The diocese and synod are partners with the Southern New England Conference in Together We Thrive, an ecumenical initiative focused on clergy leadership and development and funded by a grant from the Lilly Endowment.
The 2023 affinity group follows the Conference's first affinity group for clergy of color. That group culminated in August, and participants indicated a desire for the group to both continue and expand to include additional individuals. The facilitator and curriculum for the group are both different from the earlier group, making this group appropriate for both those who participated before and those who did not.
Meeting dates and other details will be announced in January. Among the anticipated topics are self-care, community building, conducting needs assessments, mental health first aid, creating and upholding healthy boundaries, domestic violence, and engaging ministry as an LGBTQIA clergyperson of color and/or supporting the ministry of LGBTQIA clergy of color colleagues. Contact Rev. James D. Ross with questions.
Many in the Conference became acquainted with Rev. Dr. Buhuro when she delivered the sermon during the morning worship service of the September 24 SNEUCC Justice Summit. Learn more about her:
Rev. Dr. Danielle J. Buhuro is passionate about issues of race, gender and sexuality. Dr. Buhuro serves as Executive Director and Lead CPE Supervisor of Sankofa CPE Center, LLC — which offers innovative online Clinical Pastoral Education programming along with unique social justice-oriented clinical work settings and prepares clergy chaplains for board certification. She is also the Director of Movement Chaplaincy for Faith Matters Network. Dr. Buhuro is author of Spiritual Care In An Age of #BlackLivesMatter: Examining the Spiritual and Prophetic Needs of African Americans Living In A Violent America. Rev. Dr. Danielle J. Buhuro has also served as a CPE Supervisor at Advocate Aurora South Suburban, Trinity and Christ Hospitals in Chicago, Illinois.
An ordained clergy person of the United Church of Christ, Dr. Buhuro attended Chicago Theological Seminary, where she earned the Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees respectively. She’s currently a Ph.D student studying in the area of social media identity, violence and pastoral theology. Dr. Buhuro has also served on the national board of directors of ACPE: The Standard for Spiritual Care & Education. She facilitates numerous workshops nation-wide on African American Pastoral Care and African-centered psychology.