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Introduction
In a collaborative ministry project involving many
partners, the ELCA has provided funding for several
initiatives focused on strengthening the church's
commitment to multicultural, public life, evangelism and
young adult leadership development.
Funding
In April 2005, the ELCA Church Council designated a
total of $4.5 million in unspent budget funds from
fiscal year 2004 and previously designated funds,
specifically to support mission tied to the ELCA's five
strategic priorities. The priorities are supporting
congregations; growing in evangelical outreach; stepping
forward as a public church; deepening global, ecumenical
and interfaith relationships; and developing and
supporting leaders. Of the $4.5 million, $2,050,000 was
earmarked for leadership development.
Coordination
The Rev. M. Wyvetta Bullock, executive for
leadership development, ELCA Office of the Presiding
Bishop, was named to coordinate the specially funded
leadership initiatives. She will coordinate leadership
development components of ethnic ministry strategies and
evangelism strategies, work with others to distribute
leadership development funds, identify and make known
best practices, and provide for discussion and
publications related to a "theology of leadership."
Multicultural Leadership Development
Through synods, seminaries, established
multicultural communities in the ELCA, staff of the
churchwide organization and a variety of other partners,
the collaborators funded some 19 ministry projects. Most
of the funds were designated for multicultural
leadership development.
Multicultural communities recognized by the ELCA include
African and African American; American Indian and Alaska
Native; Arab and Middle Eastern; Asian and Pacific
Islander; and Latino.
Among the
initiatives funded were programs aimed at recruitment,
development of clergy and lay leaders, internships,
evangelism, leadership in public life, development and
enhancement of a young adult program in global mission,
and development of the next generation of seminary
professors of color.
Most of the
leadership ministry projects fall into one of three
categories, Bullock said. They are "recruitment,
formation/preparation and placement," she said. In
addition to strengthening lay leadership initiatives,
also key are increasing number of clergy who are people
of color and the number of people of color serving as
teaching theologians in seminaries, she said.
At its eight
seminaries, the ELCA has a total of 22 teaching
theologians who are people of color; three have only one
person of color as a teaching theologian, Bullock said.
Another 488 people of color serve as active clergy and
professional lay leaders among the ELCA's nearly 19,000
clergy and professional lay leaders, she said.
Why should
the ELCA be so committed to raising up a new generation
of leaders, especially leaders or color? The
demographics of the United States show there is a
"changed landscape," Bullock said, adding that the
"mission to which God calls us is an increasingly
multicultural opportunity."
At nearly
every ELCA churchwide assembly -- the church's chief
legislative authority which meets every two years --
voting members have recommitted the church to its stated
intention to be a more multicultural church, she said.
Actions have included renewing a constitutional goal
that 10 percent of the ELCA's members and elected
leaders of synod assemblies, councils, committees,
boards and other organizational units be people of
color; adopting ethnic ministry strategies; adopting the
social statement, "Freed in Christ: Race, Ethnicity and
Culture"; and committing resources for increased mission
with people of color, she said.
"Something
keeps pulling us to do this ministry together," Bullock
said. "It won't let us go. It keeps us pressing, keeps
us recommitting and keeps us at the table. I believe it
is God's spirit at work among us."
The 2005
ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Orlando adopted two ethnic
ministry strategies aimed at reaching out to people of
African Descent, and Arab and Middle Eastern heritage.
The actions call the church to "put muscle" behind what
the ELCA has in place, Bullock said.
"None of us
are all of what I believe we are called to be when we
isolate ourselves from other people in God's creation,"
she said. "As a church we really need to be
transformed."
For more
information, contact
The Rev. Dr. Marion Wyvetta Bullock, Executive for
Leadership Development
Office of the Presiding Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America
8765 West Higgins Road, Chicago, Illinois, 60631 |
wyvetta.bullock@elca.org
(Adapted
from
ELCA Strengthens Variety of Leadership Commitments,
ELCA News Service, Feb 8, 2006) |
