Members of the ELCA believe that Christ’s church is not ours to control, nor is it our job to sort, divide, categorize or exclude. Our faith liberates us to embrace each person in their wholeness — questions, complexities, ethnicity, culture and all. The Ministries of Diverse Cultures and Communities team assists the ELCA in becoming more culturally diverse and anti-racist by working with ELCA congregations, synods, communities, agencies and institutions. The team provides consultation, programming and resources to help accomplish this work to which the ELCA is called.
The Ministries of Diverse Cultures and Communities team works within the ELCA toward the goal of full partnership and participation of African Descent, American Indian and Alaska Native, Arab and Middle Eastern, Asian and Pacific Islander and Latino people in the life of this church. This is done in partnership, together with leaders throughout the church, churchwide ministries staff, regions, synods, congregations, agencies and institutions. Each ethnic specific community has developed a mission strategy unique to their needs and aspirations. Each ethnic specific ministry program director works in partnership with their community’s rostered and lay leaders and ethnic associations.
The Ministries of Diverse Cultures and Communities team also assists this church in working to become more culturally diverse and anti-racist by providing resources and opportunities to engage in cross-cultural and racial equity learning through the work of Racial Justice Ministries.
Find out more about each of the following Ethnic Specific Ministry areas, their mission strategies and related associations:
- Indigenous Ministries and Tribal Relations
- African Descent (African American, Afro Caribbean, African National)
- Arab and Middle Eastern
- Asian and Pacific Islander
- European
- Latino
- Cross Cultural Conversations
