Minutes of Ethnic Ministries Task force of Northwest Dt

December 10, 2004

In attendance:                    Rev. Erhart Bauer

                                          Ms. Pam Bridgehouse

                                          Rev. Herb Hoefer, Chair

                                          Ms. Susan Olson

                                          Rev. Bob Schmidt

                                          Rev. Mike Schuessler

                                          Mr. David Sternbeck

Excused:              Rev. Dan Kunkel

                            Rev. Dong Kie Lee

Invitee:   Ms. Carol Hoefer, Recording Secretary

A.   Introductory Matters

Herb opened the meeting with a Bible Study on Acts 15, entitled “The Mother    Church in Ethnic Ministry”.

Each of the task force members introduced himself and shared the ethnic ministries s/he has been involved in:

              Erhart – Taiwan , Jamaica , India , Black Ministry, African Immigrants, Vietnamese

              David – LAMP, First Nations Peoples

              Herb – India , Hispanic ministry

              Susan – Northwest Dt. staff

              Pam – Latino Ministry

              Bob – Nigeria , Oromo congregation, LAP

Mike – Korean congregation, African Americans, multi-ethnic congregation/school

Bob reviewed the background of the convention resolution that had mandated this task force.

Susan reported on the new access that the district office has to detailed demographic information

B.   Reflections on New Ethnic Ministries

1.   Ethnic Leadership

The group discussed the process ethnic ministries generally follow.   The key goal is the identification and development of ethnic leaders.   “ Mother Church ” workers often must initiate the ministry in a new ethnic group, and often these leaders are esteemed by the new ethnic group as their real church leaders.   Therefore, it is essential that leaders from within the group be found and trained so that they have equivalent qualifications and status in the community.   Integral to this is that the ethnic leader become competent in English, the “language of power” in the general society.

2.   Start-Up Costs

There are significant start-up costs in ethnic ministries.   It would be helpful to have available models of funding that could be suggested to congregations interested in ethnic ministry outreach.   For example, Lutheran Community Services has significant resources and training to offer.

3.   Herb summarized the points that had been highlighted so far:

• Demographic information for congregations
• Importance of finding ethnic leaders
• Cultural and language training for Anglo congregations
• Dialogue between ethnic leaders and congregation leaders
• Appropriate leadership training for each ethnic group
• Cross-cultural leaders from Anglo congregations
• Models for funding
• Advertise district web site and links
• Research what training opportunities are available for ethnic leaders

C.   Reflections on Survey Results

The task force reviewed the results from the district-wide survey that had been conducted.    In the survey, congregations and pastors were asked to identify any ethnic ministries in which they were currently involved, any ethnic outreach they were planning, and any training need they desired.   Highlights from the survey were as follows:

• The major request for training was in relation to cross-cultural sensitivity and relationship-building.
• It would be useful to divide the information by Circuits and share the material at that level.
• Little was mentioned about ethnic outreach through schools and pre-schools, but these would be significant avenues of relationship-building and leadership development.
• There are many “side door” entry possibilities, such as ESL, food pantry, immigration services, counseling, pre-school, day care, job bank, etc.
• We need to make known around the district the significant ethnic ministries that are going on already.

The group thanked and commended Susan for a clear and skilled collation of the survey results.

D.   Guidelines in Starting Ethnic Ministries

The task force discussed how we should approach the initiation of new ethnic ministries.   The following points were made:

•  Immigrants who have a large Lutheran presence in their home country are more receptive.

•  Lutherans have a long history of providing help for immigrant populations.

•  Following St. Paul ’s model, a “mother church” leader goes to start a new congregation but then leaves after identifying ethnic leaders.

•  Leadership training in St. Paul ’s model develops and continues while the leaders are in place.

E.   Topics in Introducing Ethnic Ministry

The group identified the following possible agenda for a discussion of ethnic ministries, perhaps at a Circuit level:

•  Offer a demographic study

•  Tell us what you see

•  What is the congregations climate for receiving ethnic peoples

•  Will the congregations own this ministry as a real goal?

•  Do you want to start a new congregation or do you want to integrate this new ethnic group into your existing congregation?

•  What talents and abilities do you already have in your congregation?

•  What kinds of training do you need?

•  Do you have people willing to support with finances, time, and talents?

•  Offer that a mentor relationship be established between congregations that already are in ethnic ministry and those desiring to begin, both by visiting the existing ethnic ministry and having experienced leaders come to visit the new site.

•  Establish a strong prayer support base

•  Establish a structure to support the ethnic ministry, perhaps as a congregational board or as a separate mission society.

F.   Future Steps for Task Force

The task force discussed how we should proceed in developing our service to the district:

•  Present to Pastoral Circuit Conferences and get feedback.

•  Get information from other districts that have a similar task force

•  Other districts may financially support ethnic ministries in our district.

•  Select ethnic ministries as special projects for the district or for pastoral conferences

•  We can develop an ethnic ministries workshop that would be made available to Circuits and/or congregations

•  Work with LAP to translate these materials into ethnic languages

•  Find out what ethnic ministry resources are available with the LCMS Board for Missions

•  Research existing training resources, such as Harvest Mission Int’l.

•  Utilize the ESL program at Concordia University to provide curriculum and training for congregational programs

•  Access existing LCMS training programs for ethnic leaders, such as the Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology based at the St. Louis seminary and the training center at Concordia-Irvine

Rev. Joel Brauer had provided a similar checklist for the task force to consider:

•  An understanding of culture barriers and how those might be bridged.

•  Overcoming the language barrier

•  Sensitivity training in outreach to other ethnic groups

•  Knowing pitfalls and how to avoid them

•  “Over the shoulder” looks at how other congregations have succeeded in ethnic ministries, understanding basic principles that would apply to building brides with any ethnic group

•  Regular communication from District that would specifically highlight ethnic outreach news, with some continuing education helps and names of people to contact for assistance

•  Perhaps some kind of informal but organized network of congregations doing ethnic outreach.

G.   Task Force Initiatives

              1.   Requests for Training from Survey

The following follow-up assignments were made from the training desires expressed in the survey results:

              Pam - Latinos

              Mike - Asians and Koreans

              Dave – multi-ethnics

              Erhart – South Asians (Cambodians, Vietnamese)

              Bob – Africans

              2.   Increased Support for Existing Ethnic Ministries

The group also decided to attempt to provide support for existing ethnic ministries.   In particular, there are existing ethnic leaders who could be supported financially so that they could focus more time and energy on developing these new congregations:  

•  Dave Sternbeck in the Native American populations of northern Washington

•  Haro in the Oromo congregation in Portland        

•  Miguel Luna among the Hispanics around Woodburn.

The group thought we might approach the Pastoral Conferences in those three regions to provide $10,000 a year for three years to enable these new ethnic ministries to achieve self-support.   Susan will contact the district officials to determine if such financial requests would be appropriate.

              3.   Orientation Workshop Curriculum

The group asked Susan and Herb to develop an orientation workshop curriculum on ethnic ministry that the task force members could review and refine.

              4.   ESL Support from Concordia University

Mike will contact Prof. Linda Rountree, Director of the ESL program at Concordia University to see what training and curriculum resources might be immediately available for the Seattle area ministries.

H.   Announcements

              1.   African Immigrant Ministry in Seattle Area

Erhart announced that LCMS Board for Missions Special Ministries Executive Rev. Yohannes Mengsteab will be meeting with Circuit leaders in the Seattle area in January to discuss their support for an outreach among African immigrants there.   Pastor Yared also may be there, as he is the Regional Director for African Immigrant Ministries.

              2.   Latino Ministries Convocation

Pam announced that the Latino Ministries Convocation will be held in Woodburn on April 9, 2005 , 10:00-3:00 , and task force members are invited.

              3. Next Meeting

The next meeting was set for April 29, 2005 , 3:30-9:00 p.m.   Members can report then on the progress they have made on their assignments.

              4.   Vote of Thanks

The group expressed their thanks to Shirley and Susan for the delicious evening meal prepared and served.

Mike closed the meeting with prayer.

Respectfully submitted,

Carol Hoefer

Recording Secretary