MYLE Focuses on Young People of Color

ATLANTA (ELCA) -- More than 750 high-school age Lutherans of color and or whose primary language is other than English gathered July 13-16 here at the Sheraton Hotel for worship, speakers, music, fellowship and fun. Under the theme, Bathed in His Image: Washing Away MYLES of Hate, young people gathered to participate in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's (ELCA) Multicultural Youth Leadership Event (MYLE).
The ELCA Youth Gathering is meeting here at the Georgia Dome and Georgia World Congress Center in two back-to-back events: July 16-20 and July 23-27. The Gathering, "Do Life! Ubuntu," is bringing together some 40,000 high-school-age and adult Lutherans who are engaging in worship, Bible study, community service and fun. MYLE preceded the ELCA Youth Gathering.
MYLE provides a multicultural, Christ-centered, leadership training event that addresses relevant issues to multicultural youth today. It is an opportunity for youth to grow in their knowledge about the church, to learn more about each others culture and heritage and different ways of worshiping. A series of workshops, ethnic specific caucuses and reflection groups gave participants time to talk and share their feelings about their spirituality, faith, church and the world around them.
"The rapidly changing America and steadily changing Lutheran church are a great challenge for us and truly a great opportunity for the church to fulfill Gods mission for all Gods people," the Rev. Israil Daniel Peter Penumaka, Ashirwad Lutheran Ministry, New York, said at the opening session for MYLE.
The ELCA affirms that the purpose of this "church is to carry out Christs Great Commission by reaching out to all people to bring them to faith in Christ and by doing all ministry with global awareness consistent with the understanding of God as creator, redeemer and sanctifier of all," Peter said.
"Christianity embraces all people of God without any racial, class, gender or ethnic identity, therefore developed as a spiritual movement transforming the lives of many people from all over the world. Today people from all cultures and languages come together to celebrate the Lords Day. People in Asia, Africa, South America, the Middle East, Europe, Australia and North America, all together [more than] 2 billion people follow Christianity in the world today. We who have gathered here represent this vast diverse world. It is awesome and wonderful. It is a grace of God," said Peter.
The keynote presenter at the MYLE event was Thandeka TutuGxashe, daughter of South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
"The greatest lesson I learned from my parents is that every person has the potential to bring great gifts to the world. They always taught us that the differences between us were necessary for the achievement of a just world," she said.
"How can we be about building a better life or better world if we never hear from the people we say we are helping? We have to be willing to hear what it is they fear, what it is they hope for, what are their dreams, how do they differ and how are they the same as ours," said Tutu-Gxashe.
"When we say we celebrate our diversity what do we mean? Do we mean that we simply celebrate a few holidays from China, learn about a few African leaders, taste some new food from the Middle East during our multicultural celebrations? That is not celebrating our diversity. Celebrating our diversity means that we start from the point that we are all one family, the human family, the children of God made in Gods image," she said.
"Surely as in any family we see that we are not all alike, we do not like the same things and are not given strengths and or weaknesses, we do not dress alike or do not even like the same music. Those differences do not make us disown one another, rather we see in those differences Gods gift to us and our gift to the world," Tutu-Gxashe said.
During the opening session the Multicultural Advisory
Committee (MAC) performed a skit based on known cultural stereotypes. The purpose of the performance was to make participants aware of the ignorance of stereotyping, and how people can hurt others with preconceived ideas of cultures based on ignorance.
"Behold how good it is when brothers and sisters can dwell together in unity," said the Rev. Lawrence J. Clark, associate to the bishop, ELCA Metropolitan Chicago Synod. "Whoever came up with the saying that 'sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt' me doesn't live where I live," said Clark.
"Sticks and stones will break my bones and words can and will
do some damage. In order to get some healing this week, we are going to need to talk to ourselves," he said. "Some of us have been 'word-jacked' --someone spoke a word over us and we have never been the same, we have not been able to shake it loose. You need to understand the power of words. Words affect you, whether you realize it or not, words direct you, words will hang in there and never die."
"Its a brand new day, a day to remember that you and I have been created in Gods image, and the God I serve don't make no junk. If somebody had a problem with you, then they have a problem with God. You are, I am, We are ubuntu, and we are bathed in His image," Clark said.
More than 30 workshops were offered and led by youth and
adults. Topics included were:
+ "In Living Color: Transracial Adoption:" This workshop examined the concerns of children who are a different color their parents.
+ "Swimming in the Same Sea:" This interactive workshop
examined stereotypes that all people carry.
+ "Lost at Sea" examined the racial and cultural inclusiveness of the ELCA.
+ "Getting the Real 411:" provided participants with what you dont know can hurt you facts about AIDS, HIV and STDs. It offered frank discussion about the seriousness of life-altering decisions and peer pressure.
Other topics were: "Power of the Pen," "Hope for Justice," "Peace in War Zones," "Leadership 101," "Breaking Down the Walls," and "How to Talk About Hot Topics with Youth."
MYLE participants 'self-identified' and choose an ethnic-specific caucus. Caucuses were attended by youth only, adults were asked and strongly encouraged to respect the privacy of these caucuses. The caucuses provided an open forum to speak freely about ethnicity, the church, its challenges and their hopes and dreams. Each caucus held elections to select one male and one female representative to serve a three-year term on the MAC board -- an advisory group to the Lutheran Youth Organization.
Elected to the MAC board were:
African American:
Female, Janell Miller, 18, Detroit, Mich.
Male, Christopher Clark, 18, Chicago

American Indian/Native American:
Female, Jason Blankenship, 16, Oaks, Okla.
Male, Wendy Gales, 18, Anchorage, Aka.

Asian/Pacific Islander:
Female, Jacqueline St. Pieni, 15, Newport News, Va.
Male, Jovan Carreon, 15, Union City, Calif.

Hispanic/Latino:
Female, Katrina Cuevas, 17, Woodlynne, N.J.
Male, Matt Lopez, 15, Wattsontown, Pa.

The MAC board recently voted to broaden the representation of
its committee and added two new communities to the board:

Arab/Middle Eastern:
Diana Marcus, Skokie, Ill.
Andrew Rayyan, 17, Dearborn, Mich.

Multiracial:
Lani Frerichs, 16, Columbia, Md.
Kali Adonjiah Kirschina Williams, Elkins Park, Pa.

Information from the ELCA Youth Gathering can be found
at http://www.elca.org/gathering/home.html on the Web.

Photos from MYLE can be found at http://www.elca.org/gathering/med-gallery_myle.html on the Web.

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