March 4, 2003

CHICAGO - The steering committee of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Commission for Multicultural Ministries asked the ELCA Office of the Presiding Bishop to consider a "moratorium" on reductions in authorized spending for the commission this fiscal year. The committee also adopted other resolutions, discussed two churchwide plans and held a conversation with the board of the ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries when it met here Feb. 21-22.

The steering committee requested the moratorium to "allow the commission to continue its task of carrying out its constitutional mandate." In a resolution, the committee stated that "any additional cuts in the budget would seriously challenge" the work and responsibilities of the commission, "thus contradicting the mission of the ELCA."

The ELCA has set a membership goal of 10 percent people of color or whose primary language is not English. The commission "is faced with the challenge of increasing demands and diminishing resources," the committee stated.

"We have a responsibility as a steering committee to advocate for the ELCA Commission for Multicultural Ministries," said Patricia M. Robinson, Philadelphia, steering committee member.

"It is difficult to conduct an across-the-board budget cut since not all things are equal," Robinson said. There are goals and mandates the church sets forth as priority, she said. "We have an obligation to look at these and how they apply in the overall plan of the church" versus "pure dollars," she said.

Last year, the ELCA churchwide organization reduced its spending for the 2002 fiscal year due to changes in estimated income. To meet the reduction in spending, all churchwide units were asked to prepare a list to reduce spending by as much as 4 percent in 2002 and 2003.

Not all units of the churchwide office were asked to plan for 4 percent reductions, the Rev. Frederick E.N. Rajan told the committee. Rajan is the commission's executive director. "The commission was asked to reduce spending by 3.8 percent," he said.

The commission provides advice, counsel and services to ELCA churchwide units and congregations across the country that wish to become more culturally diverse. It works to achieve full partnership and participation of African American and Black, Arab and Middle Eastern, Asian and Pacific Islander, Latino, American Indian and Alaska Native people in the life of the church and society.

In other matters, the commission's steering committee requested that the ELCA Church Council urge all 10,766 congregations of the church to select a Sunday every year as "Race Relations Sunday" for special prayer, reflection and study on race relations.

"When we look to the future we must ask ourselves, as people of God, how we may strengthen race relations in this increasingly multicultural nation," said Rajan.

"Establishing a particular Sunday each year as Race Relations Sunday will serve as clarion call to all of us to build strong race relations across this nation and in furthering Dr. King's dream of a 'beloved community' of justice and righteousness," Rajan said.

Since Sept. 11, 2001, "this nation has experienced a resurgence of overt racism, xenophobia and discrimination because of one's religion and ethnicity," stated the text of the committee's resolution. "In recent years, attempts have been made in this nation to repeal the affirmative action and other civil rights laws," and, according to the U.S. Department for Justice, "hate crimes based on race, ethnicity and culture are on the increase," it said.

In the resolution, the committee further noted that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the ELCA Social Statement "Freed in Christ: Race, Ethnicity and Culture" by the 1993 Churchwide Assembly, and the 40th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech, "I Have a Dream."

In other business, the steering committee: + met with the board of the ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries (DCM) for conversation. The DCM board also met here Feb. 21-22. The leaders of the division and the commission provided a brief overview on the work of the two churchwide units and Evelyn B. Soto, director for multilingual and culture-specific resource production, DCM, led a special presentation on the variety of ethnic-specific resources available for the church.

. endorsed "Sharing Faith in a New Century: A Vision for Evangelism in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America," a comprehensive strategy on evangelism for the church. The strategy will be presented to the 2003 ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Milwaukee.

. studied and discussed a strategic planning process the church is conducting in advance of the assembly.

. made arrangements to recommend candidates to fill vacant positions on the steering committee. Recommendations will be presented to the ELCA Church Council for nomination and election. The council will meet here April 4-7.

The Commission for Multicultural Ministries has a home page at http://www.elca.org/cmm/ on the ELCA Web site.

ELCA News Service