Vision

At an early fall telephone conference meeting, the EALA Board of Directors adopted a Vision Statement to provide a focus for us as an ethnic association.  It was the end of a process which began in July during the Biennial Board Meeting held in Atlanta. At that meeting Alan Sager of Jackson MS led the Board in a process to write a Vision Statement and establish some goals. Alan had earlier done the same with another ethnic association.  

The Vision Statement adopted by the Board was:  To  be a visible and nameable anti-racist witness for a cross-cultural church.  If you have been on our website recently you may have noticed this underneath our masthead.

There was some debate among the Board of Directors whether the word “anti-racist” should be included as part of our vision. Some said that it was not a positive word.  Others said it was a way for us to let other associations know that this association, with whom most ELCA members could identify, wants to be known as a group fighting individual and organizational racism among us.  The word “cross-cultural” was suggested by other associations during their Friday night panel presentation at the same July meeting. They suggested the ELCA should be known as a cross-cultural rather than a multicultural church.

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It suggests something about our association focus. “Partnering for Racial Inclusion and Justice” says we are working with the other 5 ethnic associations of Multicultural Ministries of the Congregational and Synodical Mission Unit in our Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and also with the members of our EALA. We are partners. It also suggests we do this, so that within the ELCA , its regions, synods, and congregations a greater sense of racial justice and inclusion. will be experienced. It is a goal.

From our Winter 2012 Newsletter