UMOJA NEWSLETTER

THE ELCA Presiding Bishop with few Women of Color Leaders

UMOJA NEWSLETTER Volume 6 Issue 5

December 2015

ADLA 2015 BIENNIAL BRIEF REPORT

The 15th Biennial of the African Descent Lutheran Association (ADLA) in collaboration with the Association of Liberian Luther-

ans in the Americas (ALLIA) took place in Baltimore, Maryland July 30- August 2, 2015. The Great Gathering: Baltimore 2015

brought together family and faith communities; African Descent women, men, youth, young adults, and elders for conversation,

dialogue, and sharing to achieve greater understanding, celebrating and seeking unity in diversity between Africans of the Diaspo-

ra. The well-attended conference was held to seek solutions to the problems plaguing the unification of people of African De-

scent and offered opportunity for networking, organizing, strategizing, and building power for implementation. The success of the

Biennial demonstrated the individual and collective commitment to finding solutions to the problems that plague people of African

descent, provided time for stock-taking and reaffirmed our sense of shared identity. "The Great Gathering," was a three day emer-

gency summit focusing on honoring God and affirming our oneness through hope and reconciliation.

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ADLA 2015 BIENNIAL BRIEF REPORT cntd.

Participants discussed a range of topics of common interest, including Criminal Justice and the Social Statement, Congregational Re-

sponse to Communities in Crisis, Affirming Oneness of People of African Descent, Faith Based Development, Diversity Dynamics

within the African Descent Community, Introduction to Spiritual Direction, Conversation with the Presiding Bishop, Rebuilding and

Strengthening Congregations, Health Issues Hunger and Poverty Immigration Issues and Blacks in the Bible. Presenters included Ju-

dith Roberts, Dr. Joseph Bocko, Bishop Emeritus Callon Halloway, David Bowers and Deborah Stevenson of Enterprise Community

Partners, Dr. Joseph Donnella, Rev. Lester Newberry White, Rev. LB Tatum, Dr. Emmanuel Grantson , Dr. Everett Flanigan, Yolanda

Tanner, Rev. Amsalu Gelata, Rev. Moses Gobah, Josselyn Bennett, LIRS, Rev. Ulysses Burley, Patrice Henry, Gail Smith and Rozel-

la White. High-level meetings and working level discussions were held and participants enjoyed both the opening worship service at

Christ Lutheran Church Inner Harbor with Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Grantson as the speaker and closing worship service at St. Phillips

Lutheran where Rev. Dr. D. Jensen Seyenkulo, Bishop of Liberia, served as the speaker The intent of the Biennial was to make a very

bold statement to America to call its attention to the need to affirm the oneness between African Nationals and African Americans.

There was also a Unity Banquet where Rev. Dr. James Thomas served as the Guest Speaker. The informative program prompted the

participants to express renewed commitment to design effective measures to utilize the gifts of people of African descent in the

ELCA. The special meeting was devoted to an in-depth review of ADLA’s programmatic work, the election of a new corps of officers

for ADLA and the National Convention of the Association of Liberian Lutherans in the Americas (ALLIA).

The Local Planning Committee for the Biennial was chaired by Mydea Reeves-Karpeh who is Chair of the ADLA Delaware/

Maryland Chapter and Secretary of the Steering Committee of African National Ministries. Other members included Rev. Dr. Eric

Campbell, Coordinator for African Descent Strategy, Marion Boston, Coordinator Youth and Young Adult, Rev. Moses Gobah, AL-

LIA Representative, Rev. Michael Guy, Dean Baltimore Conference, Krystal Hamlett, Coordinator for Youth/Young Adult, Reginald

Price, Lutheran Campus Ministry, John Henderson, Region 8 Coordinator and Linda Chinnia Assistant to the Bishop. Bishop Wolf-

gang Herz-Lane of Delaware Maryland Synod along with Rev. Dr. Albert Starr, Director Ethnic Specific and Multicultural Ministry

and Rev. Joseph Bocko, Program Director, African National Ministries, Rev. Dr. Moses Suah Dennis and Tracey Beasely, Treasurer

of ADLA served as resource persons for the Biennial.

Presiding Bishop of the ELCA, Elizabeth Eaton, stressed the unique bridge-building role people of African descent can play in the

church. The ELCA is deeply committed to people of African Descent and challenged them to live out in a variety of ways and callings

the will of God to promote justice, healing and human dignity for all. The gathering elected The Rev. Lamont A. Wells Metro New

York Synod DEM, the next President of ADLA.

One of the main goals of the Biennial was to create a support network for young people, which included tangible role models like

teachers, families, and members of the faith-based community. There was a special Youth/Young Adult Track which included a Hip/

Hop Workshop with Kelly Glow, an Atlanta based Hip Hop Artist, Music Ministry and the Young Adult with Lance Cooper, Lutheran

Campus Ministry with Reggie Price and Black Life Matters: Gifts and Discernment with Krystal Hamlett.

The Great Gathering: Baltimore 2015 served as an expression of our commitment to a deepened fellowship and visible unity in Christ

that provides a common witness in the ELCA. Our renewal and the beginning of the collaboration between ADLA, African Nationals

especially ALLIA reflect the vision to have an open platform for co-operation of churches and partner organizations in the church. All

people of African Descent agreed to engage with this mission, promoting respect for human dignity and efforts for social, economic,

and environmental justice. To succeed in this commitment we rely on a repentance and internal personal transformation in Jesus

Christ. This transformation is also a call to solidarity. We reaffirmed our Christian commitment to promote justice, healing and recon-

ciliation.

Yours in His Service,

Mydea Reeves-Karpeh

Chair, Board ADLA Delaware/Maryland Synod Chapter

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Meet Dr. Agnes Abuom, from the Anglican Church of Kenya, who was elected unanimously by the WCC

10th Assembly on 8 November 2013 to serve as moderator of the WCC Central Committee. She is the first

woman and the first African in the position in the history of the World Council of Churches. This year Octo-

ber 19-21 during the Lutheran Mission Coordination meeting that was held in Bukoba Tanzania she gave a

paper on “ Women in God’s Service”. The Rev. Dr. Wyvetta Bullock Asst. to the ELCA Presiding Bishop/

Executive for Administration led an inspirational Bible study. The Rev. Benyam Kassahun & Joseph Bocko

were 2 other ELCA Churchwide delegates to the LMC. The meeting was preceded by the consecration of

the 5th Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania—North Western Diocese The Rev. Dr.

Abednego N Keshomshahara. The Rev. Dr. Malasusa presided. The companion Synod Metro New York was

represented by Bishop Robert Rimbo, Pastor Perucy Butiku & 6 other delegates.

Examples of Women in God’s Service Today:

Our societies have models of women who gave their lives for God’s service and others are continuing with

high visibility or simply in the background. We all can recall the work of Mother Teresa in Calcutta, India

where she served the poor in the slums and to-day we have a group of religious women serving all over the

world after her example. In the year 2012, while visiting in South Sudan in Malakal, we were informed that

sisters from India were able to serve better in the remote communities because within a year they had learnt

the local languages and able to share the good news with local people. As a historian cum development

worker I recall the many women missionaries in modern church history who left their countries to serve God.

For a long time their history and role was buried in archives but to-day we remember them and tell of their

commitment to ministry through difficult circumstances. One of the missionary martyrs in Kenya was a Ms.

Hulda who was killed when the missionaries were advocating against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in

the 1920s and missionaries set up a rescue center for young girls who were escaping this inhuman and brutal

act of FGM and early marriages. To-days NGO crusaders have no clue that missionary women already per-

ceived it as a violation of human dignity and as part of their service to God to stop the practice.

Women in God’s service face many challenges a few are highlighted below:

Acceptance in the women circles first and foremost. Acceptance of women in the service has and remains a

major concern and the strongest critiques tend to be fellow women. In one Anglican province, it was women

who vehemently opposed the proposal for ordination of women in to priesthood, although the matter is under

consideration after a long time. Expectations and what is considered good in the service is twice for the

women compared to men. The women have to be extremely good and surpass the standards and expectations

set for men in service. Yes we have made progress but we still have more to do. Let us walk hand in hand in

building the Kingdom of God. Let us journey together to proclaim the good news as men and women set free

by the Lord Jesus.

Dr. Agnes Aboum, World Council of Churches—Geneva.

WOMEN IN GOD’S SERVICE

DR. AGNES ABUOM DR. WYETTA BULLOCK

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The Rev. Mawien Ariik serves as ELCA mission personnel facilitating and coordinating outreach and procla-

mation in the emerging Lutheran church in the new nation of South Sudan.

Mawien Ariik Wal Reat

The Rev. Wal Reat serves as ELCA mission personnel among South Sudanese refugees in several refugee

camps in South Sudan and countries bordering South Sudan.

ELCA Delegation, Episcopalian Church in S. Sudan leaders with Minister of Health Hon. Dr. Riek Gai Kok in Juba.

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PEACE LUTHERAN CENTER GROUND BREAKING IN JUBA S. SUDAN

UMOJA NEWSLETTER

GROUND BREAKING SERVICE OF PEACE LUTHERAN CENTER IN JUBA

There has been too much suffering in South Sudan, the challenges are too daunting, and too

many have died, driven into exile, at the edge of starvation for me to communicate unearned

optimism, or pious bromides. But I do see God at work here, hope springing up in small ways. I

see a delegation of incredibly gifted and faithful ELCA partners. I honor the work of Global

Mission and their many hard won relationships in so many places of hurt and hope-the work of

our CSM African National\African Descent team and our Sudanese leaders and their church

partners in ELCA congregations and synods in delivering these relationships to this corner of

God's new creation. I am reminded that we are a church with a tremendous reach and networks, which

stands together with many partners by an empty tomb.

In the words of Rafael, director for Global Mission, it will be a place of worship, healing, and peacemak-

ing, a "place of encounter for reconciliation and restoration." As we near the 500th anniversary of the

Reformation, it is worth noting that we are together in a continent in which the Lutheran communion is

growing faster than any other place on earth.

The Rev. Dr. Stephen Bouman

CSM Executive Director