ELCA Multicultural Commission Promotes Peace, Reconciliation

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- In response to the devastating events of Sept. 11, the Commission for Multicultural Ministries (CMM) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) developed a plan to help the church promote peace and reconciliation. CMM's steering committee approved the plan and attended to other business when it met here Sept. 28-29.
"While hate caused death and destruction in New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia on Sept. 11, hatred is also causing death and destruction since that fateful day," said the Rev. Frederick E.N. Rajan, CMM executive director.
Rajan said members of the Arab and south-Asian communities in the United States have suffered from destructive forms of racism since Sept. 11. "Two Sikhs have been killed and others have been badly beaten. The church is called upon to contradict the worldly message of fear, isolation and suspicion which promotes acts of revenge, retaliation, war and hate," he told the committee.
"With the current climate of this nation, we must not and cannot be silent," Rajan said. He told the committee that CMM plans to encourage congregations of the ELCA to "be the beacon of reconciliation" in their communities.
A component of the plan involves staff of CMM to start a public- policy advocacy program on racial hatred issues in cooperation with the Lutheran Office for Governmental Affairs (LOGA) and the ELCA Division for Church in Society, Rajan said. LOGA is the ELCA's federal public policy advocacy office based in Washington, D.C.
CMM also plans to develop a Web site dedicated to the church's anti-hate efforts. Rajan said the site will list resources on dismantling racism and hate, and training opportunities offered by CMM and other organizations involved in anti-hate efforts. The site is targeted to be "up and running in early 2002," Rajan said.
The plan also involves staff of CMM to work with the eight seminaries of the ELCA to develop Sunday bulletin inserts about people from the Middle East.
The committee put the plan into effect by issuing a memorandum to the ELCA Church Council, the church's chief legislative body between its churchwide assemblies.
"In light of the tragic events of Sept. 11, it is evident that the ELCA must be a bold witness to the healing message of the gospel," the memorandum said. It also asked the council to affirm CMM's plan.
CMM provides advice, counsel and services to assist the ELCA in working toward full participation of African American, Black, Asian and Pacific Islander, Latino/Hispanic, Arab and Middle Eastern, and American Indian and Alaska Native people in the church.
The ELCA is made up of 5.13 million members in 10,816 congregations across the United States and Caribbean. People of color and/or whose primary language is not English make up a little more than 2 percent of the ELCA's membership.
In other business, Grace G. El-Yateem, Salam Arabic (Lutheran) Church, Brooklyn, was elected chair of the committee. El-Yateem is president of the ELCA's Association of Lutherans of Arab and Middle Eastern Heritage.
In an interview, El-Yateem said she supports the work of CMM. "The commission makes a positive difference in individual lives and communities. It serves as a link between the organization [of the church] and its members," she said.
El-Yateem said her congregation has been affected by the Sept. 11 tragedy. "Because we are seen as an Arabic congregation that welcomes Muslims, we have been looked down upon by the average American. However, the [crisis] has given us a chance to state that we are Arab Christians, to say that we are totally against the tragedy on Sept. 11, and we are horrified by it like everyone else. We are united and will stand against terrorism. "
In a "special order of business," the committee met with the board of the ELCA Division for Outreach (DO). DO has developed "ethnic- specific strategies" to develop new congregations and to support existing congregations in each community the commission has identified.
The division "has committed itself to increasing ethnic-specific and multicultural ministries, so that we can move toward the goal the ELCA has set for itself," said the Rev. Richard A. Magnus, DO executive director.
The ELCA has committed itself to have at least 10 percent of its membership be people of color and/or whose primary language is not English.
"The way we are committed to meet the goal is through strong partnership between the commission and division," Magnus said.
"God has called us to work together," said Rajan. "We want the steering committee of CMM and the board of DO to provide direction and strengthen our outreach efforts," he said.
The committee and board will strive to improve communication between the two units, share information and strengthen the processes by which each does its work, according to Magnus.
The commission holds an annual Multicultural Mission Institute to help congregations and individuals of various ethnic and cultural backgrounds "reach out to others and experience a multicultural community." The Institute, scheduled to take place Nov. 2-4 in Atlanta, has been canceled. The next Multicultural Mission Institute will take place in Atlanta, Nov. 1-3, 2002.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
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