White Lutheran Pastors Building Multicultural Churches
A group of white pastors leading multicultural congregations in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America was thanked, some for the first time, for serving in a difficult setting still unfamiliar to most of the denomination.
"Multicultural ministry is difficult, and it was affirming to know that the ELCA understands something of the difficulties of multicultural ministry," said the Rev. David A. Roschke of Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church in Houston, according to the ELCA News Service.
The ELCA, the largest Lutheran denomination, recently consulted with 25 white pastors serving in multicultural settings from across the states. White pastors serve 100 of the 246 ELCA congregations where at least 20 percent of the members consider themselves to be of African descent, according to the Rev. Julius Carroll IV, director for African American ministries.
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"This is the first time in 11 years I have felt and believed that my contributions to the life and ministry of this Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and to its African American expression have been honored," said the Rev. Jeffrey M. Iacobazzi of First Trinity Lutheran Church in Indianapolis, according to the denomination's news service.
The consultation was held as the ELCA continues to push forward efforts to diversify its predominantly white denomination, aiming for 10 percent of its membership to be people of color and/or whose primary language is not English. Earlier this month, the Multicultural Ministries reported that the church has arrived at 3 percent.
Over the next two years, the ELCA has strategized to increase and strengthen the cohesiveness within and among ethnic-specific communities and to equip congregations and other expressions of the church to become anti-racist and multicultural.
Racism remains a problem in the Lutheran denomination, ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson has said.
"Too often we white folks say racism is a problem persons of color must solve on our behalf, and we put the burden of racism on your shoulders rather than take responsibility for it," he said previously.
"While our church has miles to go, there is hope for the future," said the Rev. Sherman G. Hicks, executive director of the ELCA Multicultural Ministries.
Still, it won't be easy to get the entire denomination to participate in creating a more diverse mix.
"In my experience, when we have the choice, most people tend to associate with or at least gravitate toward people who are like ourselves. To reach out to someone different from me is difficult and often needs to be more deliberate and intentional," said Roschke.
But the group of white pastors struggling in their efforts are taking it a step at a time.
"The ELCA has a long way to go in becoming more multicultural, but little by little we move forward," said Roschke.
