ELCA NEWS SERVICE
June 27, 2007
ELCA to Offer Racial-Ethnic Multicultural Event in Los Angeles, July 12-15
07-115-LL*
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America (ELCA), Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and Reformed
Church in America will come together to celebrate diversity at
the "Spirit of Wholeness in Christ: A Racial Ethnic Multicultural
Event." The event will be held July 12-15 in Los Angeles.
"This event is the result of the partnerships of ethnic-
specific/racial-ethnic staffs of Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.),
Reformed Church in America and ELCA. People of all ethnicities
and races will have the opportunity to learn, value and
appreciate racial and cultural differences," said Rosemary Dyson,
associate executive director, ELCA Multicultural Ministries.
The event will include 46 workshops, two keynote
presentations and two worship services. Workshops to be offered
include: "Katrina Two Years Later: the Continuing Struggle for
Racial and Social Justice," "Daily Life in the American Indian
and Alaska Native Communities," as well as a discussion of how to
include the positive aspects of hip-hop culture into ministry.
On July 12 the Rev. Jacqueline J. Lewis, Reformed Church in
America, will deliver the first keynote address. Lewis is the
senior minister of vision, worship and the arts, Middle
Collegiate Church, New York. She is the author of numerous
articles and devotional materials, including a dissertation
titled "Authoring Stories for a New Frontier -- a study of clergy
who serve in multiracial/multicultural congregations."
The Rev. Fahed Abu-Akel, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A),
founder and executive director, Atlanta Ministry with
International Students, Atlanta, will also speak. He serves as
the director of National Christmas International House Program in
32 cities. Abu-Akel is as an adjunct professor of world
religions, Interdenominational Theological Seminary, Atlanta.
The Rev. Jose David Rodriguez, ELCA, professor of systematic
theology, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC), will
preach July 13. Rodriguez is the director of the LSTC master of
theology and doctoral degree programs. He is a member of the
Ecumenical Association of Third World Theologians.
The Rev. Steven Toshio Yamaguchi, Presbyterian Church
(U.S.A), will preach at the event's closing worship July 15.
Yamaguchi is a member of the board of trustees, San Francisco
Theological Seminary and Westmont College, Santa Barbara, Calif.
He is also a columnist for "Presbyterians Today" and a regular
preacher on "Day One," formerly the "Protestant Hour" radio
program.
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Information about the event is at
http://www.ELCA.org/multicultural/spirit.html on the ELCA
Web site.
*Lauren A. Lamb is a senior public relations and speech
communication major at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.
This summer she is an intern with the ELCA News Service.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog
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