ELCA Assembly Participants Learn, Interact in Southwest Plaza

DENVER (ELCA) -- While a mariachi band played and Southwest cuisine was served, voting members and participants of the 1999 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Churchwide Assembly learned about churchwide units and ministry projects at the Festival Plaza built to resemble a marketplace of the Southwest United States.
The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 16-22 at the Colorado Convention Center. There are more than 2,500 people participating, including, 1,038 ELCA voting members. The theme for the biennial assembly is "Making Christ Known: Hope for a New Century."
The first-ever event stemmed from concerns expressed from participants in the previous churchwide assemblies who said the busy schedule didn't give them enough time to see display areas.
"We built the opportunity into the schedule," said the Rev. Kurt A. Reichardt, associate director for internal communication, ELCA Department for Communication, and coordinator of the Festival.
A goal of the come-to-the-fair atmosphere is for participants to "learn about the Churchwide ministry in a fun way," Reichardt said.
The Southwest theme was chosen based on the assembly's Colorado location and "to emphasize the multicultural hope" of the ELCA, he said.
More than 100 churchwide staff and volunteers helped build the plaza with lumber that will be donated to Habitat for Humanity at the end of the Festival. Furniture used in the plaza will be donated to Habitat and Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. A grant for the festival building supplies was provided by Aid Association for Lutherans, a fraternal benefits organization based in Appleton, Wis. Food for the festival was provided by a grant from Lutheran Brotherhood, a fraternal benefits organization based in Minneapolis.
The Festival began Aug. 20 with a Southwest dinner and the opening of displays and learning centers.
The ELCA Division for Higher Education and Schools displayed masks molded from the faces of Sunday school children, the ELCA Rocky Mountain Synod campus ministry committee and other volunteers. Kim A. Williams, Lutheran campus minister, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, said she came up with the idea to have all the "faces" of education represented.
"What better thing than to have the faces of our youth, young adults and leaders of our church present," Williams said.
Williams made face masks for those attending the Festival. Interested participants had to spend 20 minutes lying down while the mask dried on their face.
"They said 'interactive,'" said Williams, responding to Festival coordinators' requests for hands-on activities.
Volunteers and staff for the ELCA Division for Ministry washed the feet of participants.
Karen S. White, director of admissions, Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, Ohio, said diaconal ministry is about "word and service," and its symbol is the basin and towel. White is a diaconal minister.
"We are foot-washing like Jesus did for his disciples," White said.
ELCA Division for Church in Society personnel sponsored a weaving demonstration by residents at Martin Luther Homes of Nebraska. Participants could receive a complimentary rug for a mug or glass and could order rugs made by residents of the home.
Other Festival opportunities allowed participants to watch a professional yo-yo demonstration, make tissue paper flowers, make jewelry, and enjoy country western and Native American music.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html