You are currently subscribed to the PCUSANEWS
email list of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
========================================
This story and photos located at: http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/2007/07444.htm
07444 July 20, 2007
Bringing the multicultural church to life
L.A. event an ecumenical effort
by Sharon K. Youngs Communications Coordinator Office of the General Assembly
LOUISVILLE - It wasn't your typical snapshot of a gathering of Presbyterians, or Lutherans or members of the Reformed Church in America, for that matter.
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), and the Reformed Church in America (RCA) joined together to sponsor and plan "A Racial Ethnic Multicultural Event" in Los Angeles, July 12-14.
The gathering of more than 600 people included a multitude of cultures, races, languages, traditions, and ages. With the theme "Spirit of Wholeness in Christ" as their backdrop, participants worshiped, danced, sang, studied and discussed what it means to be a multicultural church - not only on paper but also in reality.
Delivering first-night sermons were the Rev. Bruce Menning, the RCA's director of global mission; Mark Hanson, presiding bishop of the ELCA; and the Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick, stated clerk of the General Assembly of the PC(USA).
Alluding to the Pentecost event in Acts 2, Hanson expressed hoped that the gathering would be a "three-day binge, not on the fruit of the vine, but on the Holy Spirit." Kirkpatrick added that the church today "desperately needs your particular gifts" if the church is to be "passionately on fire for the gospel."
In her keynote address, the Rev. Jacqueline L. Lewis, senior minister at Middle Collegiate Church, a RCA congregation in New York City, spent time talking about the challenges of multicultural worship.
"In a mono-cultural context we know what to expect in worship," she said. "But in multicultural worship anything can happen. One style of music, for example, will feed one part of the congregation but not another part."
To illustrate her point, Lewis said that one member of her congregation told her: "I guess it's their turn" when the worship music was from a tradition with which the member was not comfortable.
"It is hard work being faithful [in a multicultural church]," she continued. "But if not us, who? If not now, when?"
Other keynote speakers included the Rev. José David Rodriguez, professor of systematic theology at the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, and the Rev. Fahed Abu-Akel, moderator of the PC(USA)'s 214th General Assembly in 2002.
The purpose of the event was "to affirm the authenticity of God's people working together in solidarity, focusing on education, justice and inclusiveness in multicultural settings in the life of the church and society," according to the event's program booklet. That purpose was fleshed out in workshops, as well as plenary sessions and panel discussions.
Participants selected workshops from 46 topics that ranged from hip-hop to the worldview of Muslims, and from immigration to the translation of resources. Planners for the event appeared to take careful notice of the interplay between subjects and activities that were ethnic-specific and those that were multicultural in nature.
A "Cultural Celebration" on Saturday evening spanned the vast spectrum of constituencies represented at the event.
Closing worship with Communion on Sunday morning included a sermon by the Rev. Steve Toshio Yamaguchi, executive of Los Ranchos Presbytery.
Unfortunately, absent from the event was a significant number of African American Presbyterians, who were gathered in Philadelphia at the same time to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the first black Presbyterian church.
The design team for the event included Sallie Cuaresma, the PC(USA)'s associate for Native American congregational enhancement; the Rev. Raafat Girgis, the PC(USA)'s associate for multicultural ministries; Laverne Rhodes, senior administrative assistant in the PC(USA)'s racial ethnic and women's ministries program area; and the Rev. Hector Rodriguez, the PC(USA)'s associate for Hispanic congregational enhancement; Rosemary Dyson and Sallie Miles from the ELCA; and Ella Campbell from the RCA.
========================================
You are currently subscribed to the PCUSANEWS
email list of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
To unsubscribe, send a blank message to
mailto:PCUSANEWS-unsubscribe-request@halak.pcusa.org.
To update your email address, send your old email address and your new one to mailto:PCUSANEWS-owner@halak.pcusa.org.
For questions or comments, send an email to mailto:PCUSANEWS-owner@halak.pcusa.org.
To learn more, visit http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) 100 Witherspoon Street Louisville, KY 40202 (888) 728-7228