Imani Community Church is an Afrocentric, social justice oriented congregation situated within a community historically prone to violence. For African Americans intergenerational trauma stemming from chattel slavery and institutional- ized racism is layered with trauma concomitant with the human experience. Therefore trauma has touched the lives of each of the congregants generally and many of them specifically. Yet despite Imani’s familial environment, many congregants endure the effects of that trauma largely in silence and isolation. We worship the God who came to give life and that more abundantly (John 10:10), yet many congregants are not experiencing that life due to unaddressed trauma. This article will argue that pastoral care for those suffering the effects of trauma in an African American church context must be both Afrocentric and trauma informed. The project at issue in this article is rooted in the West African ideology of Sankofa which teaches that it is possible to return to our roots to remember what we need in order to move forward. It will focus on communal care and healing, and help normalize conversations around trauma and mental health. It will also focus on training Imani’s pastoral staff to preach and teach in ways that do not re-traumatize congregants. Through a series of workshops led by mental health professionals and clergy, congregants and staff will be equipped with tools to assist themselves and others in building resilience against trauma.
