wfn.org | ELCA Will Seek New Leaders Within Ethnic-Specific Communities

[NEWS <NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

April 7, 1999

ELCA WILL SEEK NEW LEADERS WITHIN ETHNIC-SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES
99-13-078-SS*

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA) may be losing as many as 20 to 25 percent of its African American
pastors because of retirement in the next few years, according to the
Rev. W. Arthur Lewis, Atonement Lutheran Church, Atlanta.  "Where are
the younger ones?  We need to identify and encourage them." 
     At its meeting here March 12-13, the steering committee of the
ELCA's Commission for Multicultural Ministries (CMM) discussed ways to
bring more people from the African American, American Indian and Alaska
Native, Arab and Middle Eastern, Asian and Pacific Islander and Latino
communities into leadership positions in the church.  The steering
committee expressed concern that new leaders should be identified,
encouraged and trained, said Lewis, chair of the committee.
     "The future of ethnic-specific ministry depends on how well we
equip and engage people for evangelism ministry, and how we nurture
rostered pastors in our church," said the Rev. Frederick E.N. Rajan,
executive director for CMM.
     The committee asked Rajan to develop a report on where the ELCA
stands with ordained and lay leadership from the communities.  The
steering committee plans to begin a discussion on ethnic leadership in
the church at its October 1999 meeting.
     The committee also held a discussion on the size of ELCA reserve
funds.  Some of those funds should be allocated for ethnic-specific
ministries, many of which are struggling financially, said Lewis in an
interview.  "Doing so could help the ELCA reach its goal of 10 percent
of its membership coming from the ethnic communities."  
     The ELCA is made up of 5.2 million members in 11,000 congregations
in the United States and Caribbean.   People of color or whose primary
language is not English make up a little more than 2 percent of the
ELCA's membership.

     [*Sonia C. Solomonson is managing editor of 'The Lutheran'
magazine of the ELCA.]

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