ELCA NEWS SERVICE

March 24, 2005

ELCA Boards Commend Ethnic Strategies To Church Council
05-051-JB

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The boards of the Division for Higher
Education and Schools (DHES) and Division for Outreach (DO) of
the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) reviewed two
proposed ethnic ministry strategies during their spring meetings
this month.  Both commended to the ELCA Church Council the
strategies, which could help the church reach out to people of
African descent and people of Arab and Middle Eastern heritage.
     The council is expected to review the proposed strategies
and consider transmitting them to the 2005 ELCA Churchwide
Assembly for approval.  The Church Council is the ELCA's board of
directors and serves as the legislative authority of the church
between churchwide assemblies.  The council meets here April 7-
11.  Assemblies are held every other year; the next is Aug. 8-14
in Orlando, Fla.
     The Rev. Bassam J. Abdallah, consultant for Arab and Middle
Eastern Ministries, ELCA Commission for Multicultural Ministries
(CMM), presented the proposed Arab and Middle Eastern strategy,
"Bridges Across History, Lands and Cultures," to both boards.
     The Arab and Middle Eastern community "is the youngest and
smallest" of the recognized ethnic communities in the ELCA, he
told the DHES board, which met here March 18-19.  The number of
ELCA members who make up the community is not known, but Abdallah
estimated it could be as many as 15,000 people.
     "We certainly have the longest history of Christianity and
the most exciting of political aspirations" in the Middle East,
he said.
     In the next 10 years, the Arab and Middle Eastern community
hopes to start five new ELCA ministries, but the community needs
more ordained leaders, Abdallah said.
     The ELCA has been "absolutely wonderful in receiving us and
partnering with us," he said.
     "We work with the poorest of the poor," Abdallah said.  "We
support families emigrating here and families in the Middle
East."
     The board also heard commentary on a proposed African
descent ministry strategy, "Many Voices, Tell the Story, Create
the Vision: Build Our Future."  The Rev. Julius Carroll IV,
director for African American Ministries, CMM, and the Rev.
Richard J. Perry Jr., professor of church and society, and urban
ministry, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, spoke to the
DHES board.
     Carroll pointed out that there are 53,158 members of African
descent in the ELCA, slightly more than 1 percent of the ELCA's
total baptized membership of 5 million. He said there are 240
African descent congregations in the ELCA.  Only eight of the 240
average more than 200 people in worship each weekend.  Overall
the ELCA has 10,657 congregations.
     The key need of the African descent community is ordained
leadership, Carroll said.
     "The [proposed strategy] document is an invitation to the
ELCA to make those 240 congregations healthier, stronger Christ-
centered communities," he said.
     Perry said the proposal is "a living document that's meant
to stir our imaginations."

DO Board Calls for Strategy for Sparsely Populated Communities
     Following discussion on the ethnic ministry strategies, the
DO board adopted a resolution encouraging continued monitoring of
the needs of sparsely populated areas and areas of declining
population in the church; monitoring of the evolution of new
"affinity" networks formed last year to carry on the church's
rural ministry by devoting attention to a series of specific
interests; and gathering information and assisting in evaluating
"multiple location" ministries and "circuit rider" pastors.  The
board, which met March 11-12, asked that results be shared with
synods and the church's outreach staff.
     Board member Steven E. Koenig, Tyndall, S.D., said the ELCA
needs a strategy for members in sparsely populated areas,
specifically to help them communicate with people who do not
regularly attend a church and with ethnic communities in their
contexts.  The church needs a strategy to "empower the laity," he
said.
     The Rev. Richard J. Magnus, DO executive director, said last
year the division was involved in the official formation of the
Small Town and Rural (STaR) Ministry Alliance and it is seeking
grant funds that may address some of the concerns raised by the
board.
     "My hope would be that, if a strategy were to come from that
[population], it would come from those who live in the grass
roots," he said.  The STaR Ministry Alliance holds its annual
meeting July 28-30 at Bethany College, Lindsborg, Kan., one of 28
ELCA colleges and universities.
     The meeting may have been the final meeting of the DO board.
This August the 2005 Churchwide Assembly will consider a plan to
reorganize the work of the churchwide organization.  If adopted,
much of the division's work will be included in a proposed
Evangelical Outreach and Congregational Mission program unit,
with guidance provided by a program advisory committee instead of
a board.

DHES Board Asks for Adequate Strategy Funding, Discusses
Education Study Document
     Following discussion of the two ministry ethnic strategies,
the DHES board asked the Church Council to emphasize the need to
appropriate sufficient funds to ensure success of all ethnic
strategies adopted by the ELCA.
     It also held a lengthy discussion about a recently
introduced study document -- "Our Calling in Education: A
Lutheran Study" -- to be used in developing a social statement on
education.  Social statements are social policy documents.  The
2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly is expected to consider a proposed
social statement on education.
     Speaking as a board representative to the task force
preparing the statement, Kathryn L. Johnson, Louisville, Ky.,
said "theological depth is apparent in all sections" of the study
document.
     The Rev. John L. Stumme, director for studies, ELCA Division
for Church in Society, said the study document is about education
in the church and education in society.  "We need to be concerned
about both," Stumme said.
     Feedback on the study document is important as the task
force working on the education statement prepares to move to a
new phase, he said.
     In early 2006 a first draft of the social statement will be
distributed to the church for study and comment, Stumme said.  An
updated draft will be distributed in early 2007, he said.
     On another subject, several board members questioned the
content of an ethics policy -- approved in November 2004 by the
Church Council -- which members were asked to sign.  Most board
members declined to sign the policy, "Board and Committee
Operational Ethics Policy." The board adopted a resolution asking
the council to review the content of the policy.  Concerns
identified by board members were a lack of clarity about
confidentiality provisions in the policy, accountability and
discipline for those who may violate the policy and due process
for members who may be disciplined for possible violations.
     This, too, may have been the final meeting of the DHES
board.  Should the Churchwide Assembly adopted the proposed
reorganization plan, much of the division's work will become
become part of a proposed Vocation and Education program unit,
guided by a program advisory committee.

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