wfn.org | Culturefest - More Than a Happening

[PCUSA.NEWS@pcusa.org]

20-April-1998 
98135 
 
    Culturefest - More Than a Happening 
 
        by Elmer "Bud" Frimoth 
 
PORTLAND, Ore.- "Multiculture is not assimilation, let me say strongly, 
because no one culture is right for everybody," said Pat Brown, moderator 
of the 209th General Assembly.  "When we talk about multiculturalism we 
talk not only about each other, but learning with each other." 
 
    Her words caught the feeling and joy of the CultureFest held the first 
weekend in April at Lewis & Clark College here.  It was the third in a 
series of CultureFests hosted by Brown this spring.  The first two were at 
Bloomfield College in New Jersey and Trinity University in San Antonio, 
Texas. 
 
    Clowns greeted arriving participants and escorted them to the entry of 
the Agnes Flanagan Chapel.  Upon entering, persons were greeted by members 
of Portland Korean Presbyterian Church in their native dress, including two 
small children who distributed palm fronds - this being the Friday before 
Palm Sunday. 
 
    Following a bilingual invocation by the Rev. Yoon Kak Cho of the 
Portland Church, the children's group from Chinese Presbyterian Church in 
Portland recited a verse from 1 Corinthians 13 in Chinese and then sang 
about God's love. 
 
    For a different flavor of culture, the Hawaiian Club of Lewis & Clark 
presented native dances with their smooth motions and movements.  It was a 
prelude to their Hawaiian luau the next day. 
 
    In keeping with the theme of "Together in Christ We Celebrate and 
Affirm One Another," scripture passages from 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 
4 were read by college student Jason Calhoun. 
 
    Movement of body as well as of spirit was provided by the Inner 
Strength Gospel Choir from Corvallis, Ore., led by the Rev. Isaiah Jones, 
Presbyterian campus minister at Oregon State University there.  Feet were 
tapping, hands were clapping and arms were waving as the  congregation 
joined as participants in the music. 
 
    Following a prayer by elder Young Kim of the Portland Church, he moved 
them to his drum kit to accentuate the music of the Ginosko Band from his 
church.  Three young keyboardists, two guitarists and two additional 
singers proclaimed the good news in exuberant song: "Hosanna - Yeunim 
chanyang hop csi ta!" ("Let us praise the Lord!"). 
 
    The enthusiasm flowing over the gathering now moved to the added 
understanding of different cultures through the sharing of a wide variety 
of foods.  One participant remarked about the experience: "We need to do 
this kind of thing more often." 
 
    Saturday morning found interested persons gathering for further 
dialogue.  Brown opened the session with challenging questions: "How many 
of you remember when you were first aware of race, particularly your own? 
How early do you remember?"  Three persons responded. 
 
    The Rev. Lucy Shengai McAuley, pastor of the Chinese Church, shared her 
struggle with cultural differences within the congregation she serves. 
Age-old practices that have centuries of history are deeply ingrained in 
parishioners.  "Worship of ancestors is still a deeply rooted part of many 
of our people.  Intercultural marriages create difficult challenges as 
well."  Changing languages and new customs bring further stress in more 
than just church life. 
 
    Young Kim, an elder of the Korean Church, spoke of the tension between 
older and younger members.  The latter he called the "one and a half 
generation" - those who know the Korean language but who are more 
"Americanized."  Like many other congregations, Kim's church is having 
difficulty keeping the "young workers" involved.  New languages and customs 
foreign to their old traditions make it hard for members to reach out to 
others. 
 
    Sid Birt, an elder of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Portland, 
challenged the group from his African-American heritage.  "If we want to go 
beyond mere celebrating of our diversity, we need to analyze the structures 
of our institutions and restructure them to benefit all the people who 
happen to be living, working, worshiping, being educated, medically treated 
in their particular place," he said.  "It's easier to celebrate diversity 
than to tolerate it when it challenges our beliefs, values, practices, 
traditions and power." 
 
    These and other shared perspectives pointed out the difficulty of 
maintaining unique cultural features while being exposed to the enveloping 
values of the dominant American culture. 
 
    Brown concluded the CultureFest with this prayer: "Gracious and loving 
God, You open doors and invite us to come in.  You give us opportunities 
and wish that we would take them.  Dear Lord, we ask You to keep our eyes 
open, our hearts warm and our ears ever alert to Your work.  All that You 
are is beyond the realm of our experience, but help us to keep reaching and 
then trust.  In Jesus' name.  Amen." 

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