Title: ELCA Commission Requests 'Moratorium' on Budget Reduction
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

March 4, 2003

ELCA COMMISSION REQUESTS 'MORATORIUM' ON BUDGET REDUCTION
03-037-MR

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The steering committee of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Commission for Multicultural
Ministries asked the ELCA Office of the Presiding Bishop to consider a
"moratorium" on reductions in authorized spending for the commission
this fiscal year.  The committee also adopted other resolutions,
discussed two churchwide plans and held a conversation with the board of
the ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries when it met here Feb.
21-22.
     The steering committee requested the moratorium to "allow the
commission to continue its task of carrying out its constitutional
mandate." In a resolution, the committee stated that "any additional
cuts in the budget would seriously challenge" the work and
responsibilities of the commission, "thus contradicting the mission of
the ELCA."
     The ELCA has set a membership goal of 10 percent people of color
or whose primary language is not English.  The commission "is faced with
the challenge of increasing demands and diminishing resources," the
committee stated.
     "We have a responsibility as a steering committee to advocate for
the ELCA Commission for Multicultural Ministries," said Patricia M.
Robinson, Philadelphia, steering committee member.
     "It is difficult to conduct an across-the-board budget cut since
not all things are equal," Robinson said.  There are goals and mandates
the church sets forth as priority, she said.  "We have an obligation to
look at these and how they apply in the overall plan of the church"
versus "pure dollars," she said.
     Last year, the ELCA churchwide organization reduced its spending
for the 2002 fiscal year due to changes in estimated income.  To meet
the reduction in spending, all churchwide units were asked to prepare a
list to reduce spending by as much as 4 percent in 2002 and 2003.
     Not all units of the churchwide office were asked to plan for 4
percent reductions, the Rev. Frederick E.N. Rajan told the committee.
Rajan is the commission's executive director.  "The commission was asked
to reduce spending by 3.8 percent," he said.
     The commission provides advice, counsel and services to ELCA
churchwide units and congregations across the country that wish to
become more culturally diverse.  It works to achieve full partnership
and participation of African American and Black, Arab and Middle
Eastern, Asian and Pacific Islander, Latino, American Indian and Alaska
Native people in the life of the church and society.
     In other matters, the commission's steering committee requested
that the ELCA Church Council urge all 10,766 congregations of the church
to select a Sunday every year as "Race Relations Sunday" for special
prayer, reflection and study on race relations.
     "When we look to the future we must ask ourselves, as people of
God, how we may strengthen race relations in this increasingly
multicultural nation," said Rajan.
     "Establishing a particular Sunday each year as Race Relations
Sunday will serve as clarion call to all of us to build strong race
relations across this nation and in furthering Dr. King's dream of a
'beloved community' of justice and righteousness," Rajan said.
     Since Sept. 11, 2001, "this nation has experienced a resurgence of
overt racism, xenophobia and discrimination because of one's religion
and ethnicity," stated the text of the committee's resolution.  "In
recent years, attempts have been made in this nation to repeal the
affirmative action and other civil rights laws," and, according to the
U.S. Department for Justice, "hate crimes based on race, ethnicity and
culture are on the increase," it said.
     In the resolution, the committee further noted that this year
marks the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the ELCA Social Statement
"Freed in Christ: Race, Ethnicity and Culture" by the 1993 Churchwide
Assembly, and the 40th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s
speech, "I Have a Dream."
     In other business, the steering committee:
     + met with the board of the ELCA Division for Congregational
Ministries (DCM)  for conversation.  The DCM board also met here Feb.
21-22.  The leaders of the division and the commission provided a brief
overview on the work of the two churchwide units and Evelyn B. Soto,
director for multilingual and culture-specific resource production, DCM,
led a special presentation on the variety of ethnic-specific resources
available for the church.
     + endorsed "Sharing Faith in a New Century: A Vision for
Evangelism in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America," a
comprehensive strategy on evangelism for the church.  The strategy will
be presented to the 2003 ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Milwaukee.
     + studied and discussed a strategic planning process the church is
conducting in advance of the assembly.
     + made arrangements to recommend candidates to fill vacant
positions on the steering committee.  Recommendations will be presented
to the ELCA Church Council for nomination and election.  The council
will meet here April 4-7.
-- -- --
     The Commission for Multicultural Ministries has a home page at
http://www.elca.org/cmm/ on the ELCA Web site.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html