CHICAGO (ELCA) -- "For the first time, we are taking a comprehensive approach for Latino ministry," the Rev. Ruben F. Duran told the board of the Division for Outreach of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The board met here Oct. 7-10 and affirmed the church's new Latino Outreach Strategy.
Duran, ELCA executive for congregational outreach services, said changes in attitudes and numbers made the strategy possible. Latino population is expected to grow from 10 percent to 25 percent of the U.S. population in the next 50 years, and the Lutheran church is beginning to look to Latinos for guidance in matters of ministry among Latinos, he said.
"Latinos see themselves as subjects and not mere objects of evangelistic practices," said Duran.
"One of the organizational principles of the ELCA is that we will be an inclusive church," said Dorothy Baumgartner, Issaquah, Wash., board chair of the ELCA Division for Outreach. "We have an important mandate to be intentional about support for ethnic-specific and multicultural ministries."
The Latino Outreach Strategy builds on strategies at various stages of development in 16 of the ELCA's 65 synods. Those synods include Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, Wyoming, as well as New York City, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and parts of Minnesota.
Leaders of synod strategies form a network "to provide better support and more precision in decision-making processes regarding Latino ministry development," said Duran. The Rev. Gustavo Guerrero, Iglesia Luterana Cristo Rey, Dallas, convenes the network of about 12 people.
Another group of "experienced and gifted leaders who are trained and made available to the synods for specific consultative work" serve as Latino ministry advisors.
Sixteen to 20 people will serve on the Latino Outreach Strategy Team which will offer recommendations regarding the work of the ELCA Division for Outreach in the Latino community. The team is pursuing four directions: new mission development, transforming congregations, missionary leadership, and ministry among second and third generation Latino Americans.
The Rev. Gregory J. Villalon, director for multicultural leadership development, ELCA Division for Ministry, presented a report on "Recruiting and Equipping Indigenous Leaders for Mission Responding to God's Call."
The Outreach board expressed a "critical need for trained ethnic leadership to staff not only Latino but all our ethnic and multicultural ministries," said Baumgartner. The board encouraged Villalon to share more information about his work, and it asked for "inter-board dialogue with the Division for Ministry to support its effort in ethnic leadership development," she said.
In other business, the Mission Investment Fund board reported that, as of Sept. 1, 1999, the fund balance is larger than $271 billion -- $40 billion more than a year earlier. Personal interest-earning investments fuel the fund, which extends low-interest loans to ELCA congregations for such projects as new construction, building expansion or renovation.
Ten percent of current loans are more than six months in arrears = --=20 compared to 14.7 percent a year earlier. Real estate holdings total less than $30 million.
The Outreach board adopted the Mission Investment Fund capital budget for 2000. That budget includes $77,475,000 in loans to congregations. Another $6,650,000 is to purchase real estate.
The Division for Outreach board: + elected Baumgartner to a two-year term as its chair; the Rev. Ronald Johnson, Minneapolis, vice chair; and James E. Byerly, Richmond, Va., secretary. The Rev. Linda Boston, San Jose, Calif., and the Rev. Richard W. Owens, Bismarck, N.D., were also elected to the board's executive committee. + approved a 2000 budget of $14,806,740 for the Division for Outreach, including $6,857,000 to support new congregations. The 1999 budget is $14,756,740, including $6,813,365 for new congregations. + adopted written descriptions of the division's programs for 2000 and edited drafts of program descriptions for 2001. + asked Division for Outreach staff to work with other ELCA divisions and units to prepare "a comprehensive report on activities of the past decade in response to the 'Evangelism Strategy: A Telling Witness of God's Good News,'" which was established by the ELCA's 1991 Churchwide Assembly. The board asked to see an interim report next spring and a final report next fall. + approved a resolution encouraging celebrations in various settings during 2000 to honor the 80th anniversary of the first decision of a Lutheran church (Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Kingdom of the Netherlands) to ordain women and the 30th anniversary of the ordination of Lutheran women in North America.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
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Candice Hill Buchbinder
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Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
