The Greater Milwaukee Synod is offering a new opportunity and thought it would be something of interest to you and your faith community.   “Brews and Bias,” a synod—wide program, is designed to equip Rostered Ministers and Lay members to host sacred conversations around bias and racial/social justice with clarity, compassion, and joy. Whether you’re gathering in a living room, church, pub, or café corner, your presence makes space for truth-telling, healing, and beloved community.  

What Is Brews and Bias?
Brews and Bias is a faith-rooted dialogue initiative designed to help organizations:
•       Confront and unlearn racial bias
•       Build micro-communities of reflection and action
•       Equip lay leaders to facilitate trauma-informed, joy-centered conversations
•       Reframe racial justice as sacred, communal, and spiritually formative

Inspired by the early church’s house-to-house gatherings (Acts 2) and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of Beloved Community, Brews and Bias turns everyday hospitality into a doorway for transformation. This is an opportunity to practice building community.

Slogan: “Sip slow. Speak truth. Seek justice.”

We are equipping people to launch small conversation groups for the upcoming holidays.

Brews and Bias is a faith-rooted dialogue initiative designed to help congregations confront and unlearn racial bias while building beloved community. Drawing on scripture, Lutheran theology, and contemporary cultural wisdom, the program creates intimate, joy-centered spaces for lay leaders and participants to engage in courageous conversation.

At its heart, Brews and Bias equips ordinary disciples to lead conversations about justice, equity, and reconciliation—over something as simple as a brew. Whether coffee, tea, or another beverage, the ritual of gathering becomes a doorway into transformation.

Brews and Bias is not just another program—it is an invitation into the sacred work of building beloved community, one cup and one conversation at a time. In these ambiguous times we have the opportunity to work together, equipping disciples to lead with courage, joy, and faith in the gospel’s liberating power. This training is intended for congregational leaders to be prepared to lead a series of Brews and Bias conversations in their own congregations and communities.

Program Model & Goals

Part 1: Online Foundations (4 Hours Across 4 Sessions)

• Theological grounding: scripture, justice, and MLK’s vision of Beloved Community

• Understanding bias: implicit, systemic, and cultural

• Program orientation: session flow and facilitation basics

• Interactive components: scenario practice, journaling, and online community engagement

Part 2: In-Person Activation (4 Hours) Location: TBD

• Facilitation skills: trauma-informed leadership, active listening, managing conflict

• Mini-session experience: modeling a condensed Brews and Bias gathering

• Launch planning: practical guidance on hosting groups

• Commissioning: blessing and sending leaders into this work

Please note: there are four recorded sessions that each participant will need to completed by November 15th. This information will be emailed to each registered participant.
Scholarships are available for those that may need assistance. Please contact Rev. Afi Dobbins-Mays to learn more.

Equip Leaders with Theological and Practical Tools

• Ground leaders in biblical commitments to justice and equity

• Provide frameworks for recognizing and addressing racial bias

• Train facilitators to lead trauma-informed, joy-centered discussions

Foster Courageous and Compassionate Dialogue

• Create brave spaces for naming, exploring, and unlearning bias

• Normalize discomfort as part of spiritual maturity and growth

• Cultivate vulnerability, curiosity, and mutual respect

Integrate Faith, Media, and Cultural Wisdom

• Use scripture, media clips, and real-world examples to illuminate bias

• Connect biblical teaching with lived experiences of race and identity

• Encourage reflection through journaling and dialogue

Build Micro-Communities of Reflection and Action

• Train facilitators to host sessions in homes, cafés, and community spaces

• Encourage ripple effects of accountability in congregations

• Model the early church’s house-to-house gathering spirit (Acts 2)

Center Joy, Liberation, and Beloved Community

• Reframe racial justice as communal work

• Celebrate cultural resilience and spiritual depth

• Anchor every gathering in prayer and affirmation