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	July 28, 2004 .................... LCMSNews -- No. 61

	Black convocation will go to two-year cycle

	By Joe Isenhower Jr.

	Delegates to the 2004 Black Ministry Family Convocation, July
7-11 in St. Louis, decided that national convocations from now on will
be in even-numbered years and regional convocations will be held in
odd-numbered years.

	In recent years, national convocations have been planned as
annual events, although they were every other year when first held in
the late 1970s. Also, this year's convocation called for regional
convocations in alternate years "to enable the national staff to promote
their programs to the people at the grass-roots level."

	The resolution passed in the delegate assembly notes that
convocations were created "to try to re-establish the bond of fellowship
and to enable some form of common projects that the body might pursue
[and] to give Black ministry a voice, if only advisory, in the
decision-making processes that affect this work."

	"This makes it substantially easier for the Board [for Black
Ministry Services] to be a program board," Dr. Phillip Campbell, the
board's interim executive director, told delegates just after their vote
to go to a two-year cycle.

	"Also, this will help us strengthen existing Black-ministry
units in districts and start units in districts where there are none,"
he said. "It gives us the opportunity to identify and raise up new
leaders in Black ministry in the districts and help us identify future
national leaders."

	A separate resolution named Concordia College, Selma, Ala., as
the site for the 2006 convocation.

	Convocation delegates defeated a resolution to "minimize the
cost of the Black Ministry Family Convocation," citing their action to
move to a two-year cycle as a cost saver.

	William Edelman of Concord, N.C., spoke against the resolution,
saying, "It's going to be much more pleasing to the Lord to do things
first-rate. The spiritual benefits far outweigh any that might be
financial."

	Edelman added that he and his wife, Cherelle, were at the
convocation with eight of their 10 children, who were involved in the
youth program.

	In other action, convocation delegates:

	* supported a "Let the Children Come" scholarship fund for day
schools in Black ministry, so that more needy children could afford day
schools operated by Black Lutheran congregations, and set the fourth
Sunday in February each year for an offering to support the fund;

	* asked the Board for Black Ministry Services to report to
convocations what actions the board has taken on resolutions not
addressed by previous convocations;

	* approved resuming publication of LCMS Black Ministry's
newsletter "Communities" as one way of improving print and electronic
communication among clergy, churches and communities in Black Ministry;
and

	* urged pastors, teachers, directors of Christian Education,
other church leaders and parents to "diligently seek opportunities to
encourage young people" to consider careers in Black ministry.

	Campbell said this year's convocation "got really high marks"
from evaluation forms that many of its 715-some participants submitted
at the end of the event.

	As with past convocations, this one, under the theme "King of
Kings," included a youth component as well as sessions for adults. The
youth program drew 220 participants. Adults and youth had their own
worship services and workshops. Fellowship activities included the
convocation banquet, and the young participants had a day at Six Flags,
west of St. Louis.

	"It's cool to involve kids," said Jerrell Sims, 14, who
participated in his first convocation youth program. "We're having fun,
but we learn a lot, too," said Sims, who was part of group of 16 young
people and four adults from Toledo, Ohio. "I hope I get to come to
another one," Sims said.

	Dr. Cheryl E. Williams -- also at her first convocation -- said
that convocation workshops and conversations with other participants
gave her "a lot of good examples and ideas of what other churches are
doing to reach out to African Americans and others."

	Williams is an assistant professor of business and assistant to
the president for international and cultural relations at Concordia
University, Irvine, Calif.

	A member of Christ Lutheran Church, Costa Mesa, Calif., she said
she was convinced that much of what she was hearing about outreach could
be adapted to other minorities, such as Hispanics who live in southern
California.

	Williams said she "especially appreciated" a convocation
workshop about building communities of faith and housing partnerships,
presented by representatives of Fannie Mae.

	Describing Fannie Mae as "a private company that works with
lenders to make sure that mortgage money is available for communities
all across America," the workshop leaders discussed and answered
questions about the company's faith-based initiative that works with
faith groups to increase minority home ownership.

	Other adult workshops covered such topics as equipping laypeople
for caring ministries, healthy lifestyles, financial planning and
Biblical perspectives on marriage.

	This was one of several convocations that Larenza and Naomi
Mungin of Jacksonville, Fla., have attended.

	"It's good to be able to take a few days and immerse ourselves
in worship and fellowship," said Naomi, who added that daily convocation
worship services were the highlight for her.

	"And it keeps us informed of what's going on in Black ministry
in our church," said her husband, Larenza.

	****************************************

	If you have questions or comments about this LCMSNews release,
contact Joe Isenhower Jr. at joe.isenhower@lcms.org or (314) 996-1231,
or Paula Schlueter Ross at paula.ross@lcms.org or (314) 996-1230.

	****************************************

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