Shelley Fields (Team Leader), Ralph Barrett, Lorraine Buhrow, Carol Hargro, Hank Jud, Melinda Jud, Pastor Carol Kniseley, Pastor Jim Kniseley, Bonnie Mantta, Pastor Lucille Mills, Pastor Tim Waltonen. (Pastor Brumback was unable to attend because of a congregational meeting.)
Special thanks go to the Rejoice congregation for a great job in hosting the meeting, at the “Gourmet Caterers’” in Chesapeake.
New Initiative: Opening awareness to the Need to Diversify Single-Race Congregations (see “Multicultural Outreach Initiative,” page 2, below)
Team Focus: “Doing for the community, not simply for the church and the church’s survival; rather, witnessing for the community itself.”
Old Business
Report on Synod Assembly. Topics discussed included outstanding contributions by Pastor Mills (the assembly’s featured preacher) and Tim Waltonen (speaker during the “Items of Concern and Conscience,” and leader of our lunchtime discussion on race during the 2008 campaign). Thanks also went to Ellen Greene for creating an effective backdrop for our team display, and reusable signs for our lunch tables; Shelley Fields for providing display material; Hank Jud for producing team “business cards; “ and Hank and Melinda Jud for “manning” the display table.
Consensus was that the lunchtime conversation went quite well; though attendance might have been better had we placed a sign-up sheet at the entrance to the cafeteria, alongside those for the lunchtime workshops. By the time people entered the dining room and saw our signs, most had already made a commitment for a workshop. Also, such an event might be better conducted in a separate room, assuming that the sign-up sheet includes the room’s location. Finally, name tags should identify us as AAOT members.
Rejoice Report. Pastor Mills reported that Rejoice awaits the buildout of the office park space by the owner. The congregation pays monthly to reserve the space, with the payments applied toward future rent. The congregation’s application for a Use Permit, which has to go through several departments (and ultimately, a hearing) is still in process. The lack of a permit does not preclude actual use, however, so long as the landlord gives approval. Since this has been given, the wait hinges on the buildout. Once the buildout has been completed, lack of furnishings will present a challenge. Pastor Mills will address Tidewater Conference churches at a meeting in August, in hopes of enlisting support. AAOT members will talk to their respective church councils in hopes of doing the same.
Contact with Episcopalian Anti-Racism Commission. Melinda Jud reported making contact with Satoshi Ito, a co-chair of the commission, which was founded in 2004, a year after our team, in response to a requirement of the national church that all ordained clergy participate in anti-racism training. The commission implements the requirement for the Diocese of Southern Virginia, using Crossroads materials entitled “Seeing the Face of God in Each Other.” Its work is difficult, and “varies in parts of the state.” It is supported with a small budget from the Diocese, which allows it to conduct training sessions quarterly. Mr. Ito will check with fellow commission members concerning our interest in dialogue with their group. In this eventuality, Bill Smith will act as our liaison. Melinda Jud will contact Pastor Vought (Muhlenberg Lutheran in Harrisonburg), of the Synod’s Ecumenical Office for information about other denominations who may have similar efforts ongoing.
Region 9 Strategy Session. Per Rev. Flanagan, an initial session will be held December 4th and 5th, 2008, at Southern Seminary, in Columbia, SC. Primary purpose of the meeting will be to gain the support of regional leaders for efforts toward multicultural outreach. Attendance will be limited to approximately 30 individuals in order to facilitate discussion. Given this restriction, a representative from our team may or may not be invited. In the latter case, Rev. Flanagan assures us that followup meetings with grass roots representatives will be conducted in the future.
Note: As one of five synods in the region, our synod should have one fifth of the attendees. As chair of the Region 9 Council, Pastor Gunsten will no doubt attend. Pastor Mills will also be invited. We can learn from Pastor Gunsten how many members from each synod are on the Region 9 Council.
Transfer of Team Web Page to Synod Site. Eric Carlson, whose time is limited, is no longer able to serve as AAOT web master. Eric has recommended that our team web page be transferred from the Resurrection web site to the synod site. Hank Jud has undertaken Eric’s former role, and is engaged in acquiring expertise and making the necessary file changes to ensure a smooth transfer. Fringe benefits of the process include the repair of broken and out-of-date links, and our growing awareness of the web page as a team tool.
Team Banner. Shelley Fields will check on possible sources (including Vicki Divilbus, of “Liturgical Arts”) and report back to us.
Multicultural Outreach Initiative. In place of a previous plan to send out multicultural outreach packets congregations, team members adopted a revised strategy for implementation in a 2009 activity. We will invite representatives of primarily single-race churches in areas of high density multicultural population to attend an event. Candidate churches include Apostles in Chesapeake, Faith in Suffolk, St. Timothy’s in Norfolk, and First Lutheran in Virginia Beach. (In addition to Pastor Vogel, Bill Trexler, former bishop in the Bahamas, could be a helpful contact at First Lutheran. Also, Jane Nicholson, who is an Associate in Ministry at First Lutheran, is a TEEM candidate for ordination, with a requirement to partner First Lutheran’s outreach with Rejoice.) A task force formed to further develop plans for the event consists of Tim Waltonen, Carol Hargro, and Bonnie Mantta. (Pastor Mills’ input on the need for this: Healthy congregations tend not to see the need for outreach, feeling that the doors are open.)
New Business
Publicity Opportunities. Forums for publicizing the Multicultural Outreach Initiative include Virginia Lutheran, The Journey, and The Lutheran (for this last, articles of approximately 500 words). Development of a glossy brochure highlighting the AAOT and the need for multicultural outreach is also projected.
Youth “Walkabout Piece” for Synod Assembly 2009. Discussion focused on the possible development of a performance piece by synod youth portraying moments of awarenes of racism, and coming to terms with racism, from their own lives. AAOT members Shelley Fields and Melinda Jud enacted such moments at Synod Assembly 2006. Pastor Foré, Youth Leader at the assembly, is favorable to the idea. Details are yet to be worked out.
Future Goal: Input to 2020 Vision. Potentially, an anti-racism goal might be added to the 2020 Vision, or a goal for the establishment of an anti-racism academy. Pastor Jim Kniseley will take whatever recommendation we develop to the Synod Council.
Next Meeting Date: Sunday, October 19, 2008, at Resurrection in Fredericksburg. (Please share the Rejoice information package with your church council in advance of the meeting.)
Action Items
1. Tim Waltonen, Carol Hargro, and Bonnie Mantta will further develop plans for the Multicultural Outreach Initiative.
2. Melinda Jud will check with the Episcopalian Anti-Racism Commission regarding permission to meet with them, and also contact Pastor Vought, of the Synod’s Ecumenical Office, and Muhlenberg Lutheran in Harrisonburg, for information about who to contact in other denominations regarding anti-racism/multicultural outreach efforts they are making.
3. Hank Jud will complete efforts needed to update the team web page and transfer it to the synod web site.
4. Shelley Fields will check on possible options for a team banner.
5. Melinda Jud will communicate further with Pastor James Foré about what might be needed from Shelley Fields and herself in support of a potential youth performance piece at Synod Assembly 2009.
6. Shelley Fields will obtain copies of the ELCA’s “Many Voices” document for team members. Melinda Jud will bring materials from the ELCA’s social statement, Freed in Christ: Race, Ethnicity, and Culture, to the next meeting.