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ELCA to Offer Racial-Ethnic Multicultural Event in Los Angeles, July 12-15


From <NEWS@ELCA.ORG>
Date Wed, 27 Jun 2007 12:25:01 -0500

Title: ELCA to Offer Racial-Ethnic Multicultural Event in Los Angeles, July 12-15 ELCA NEWS SERVICE

June 27, 2007

ELCA to Offer Racial-Ethnic Multicultural Event in Los Angeles, July 12-15 07-115-LL*

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and Reformed Church in America will come together to celebrate diversity at the "Spirit of Wholeness in Christ: A Racial Ethnic Multicultural Event." The event will be held July 12-15 in Los Angeles.

"This event is the result of the partnerships of ethnic- specific/racial-ethnic staffs of Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Reformed Church in America and ELCA. People of all ethnicities and races will have the opportunity to learn, value and appreciate racial and cultural differences," said Rosemary Dyson, associate executive director, ELCA Multicultural Ministries.

The event will include 46 workshops, two keynote presentations and two worship services. Workshops to be offered include: "Katrina Two Years Later: the Continuing Struggle for Racial and Social Justice," "Daily Life in the American Indian and Alaska Native Communities," as well as a discussion of how to include the positive aspects of hip-hop culture into ministry.

On July 12 the Rev. Jacqueline J. Lewis, Reformed Church in America, will deliver the first keynote address. Lewis is the senior minister of vision, worship and the arts, Middle Collegiate Church, New York. She is the author of numerous articles and devotional materials, including a dissertation titled "Authoring Stories for a New Frontier -- a study of clergy who serve in multiracial/multicultural congregations."

The Rev. Fahed Abu-Akel, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A), founder and executive director, Atlanta Ministry with International Students, Atlanta, will also speak. He serves as the director of National Christmas International House Program in 32 cities. Abu-Akel is as an adjunct professor of world religions, Interdenominational Theological Seminary, Atlanta.

The Rev. Jose David Rodriguez, ELCA, professor of systematic theology, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC), will preach July 13. Rodriguez is the director of the LSTC master of theology and doctoral degree programs. He is a member of the Ecumenical Association of Third World Theologians.

The Rev. Steven Toshio Yamaguchi, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A), will preach at the event's closing worship July 15. Yamaguchi is a member of the board of trustees, San Francisco Theological Seminary and Westmont College, Santa Barbara, Calif. He is also a columnist for "Presbyterians Today" and a regular preacher on "Day One," formerly the "Protestant Hour" radio program.

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Information about the event is at

http://www.ELCA.org/multicultural/spirit.html on the ELCA Web site.

*Lauren A. Lamb is a senior public relations and speech communication major at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. This summer she is an intern with the ELCA News Service.

For information contact:

John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog


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