St. Cyprian's Episcopal Church
St. Cyprian’s: who are they?
St. Cyprian's was founded in 1866, and is both the oldest and first Black Episcopal parish in North Carolina.
Known for their legacy of creating spaces of refuge and belonging for people of color in their local community, St. Cyprian’s has been described as the "center of ripples" throughout New Bern. This community welcomes all people to join them for worship and ministry.
Strategy + vision
After Hurricane Florence in 2018, St. Cyprian’s building was severely damaged and the congregation was not able to meet. Then, after a long period of building repairs and years of being closed due to the pandemic, St. Cyprian's partnered with us to ask deep strategic questions about their identity.
To support this congregation in their work toward reconnection and deepened engagement in their community, we:
engaged their leadership planning group in measurable goal-setting
identified problems of gatekeeping and systemic racism to be addressed
provided an analysis to both the leadership group and the judicatory body as to how variables within the system impact the ability to proceed
