The following is an excerpt from the last paragraph, which I read at Resurrection’s August Council meeting.

“In prayerful response to the African Descent Lutheran Association’s request for an apology, this church enters into a season of confession and lamentation. This recommitment means working toward a deeper understanding of slavery and its legacy, of institutional and structural racism, of white privilege, and of attitudes and foundations of white supremacy. It means praying for the renewal of this church as disciples of the living Christ.”

ADLA National President Rev. Lamont Wells’ delivered a response to the churchwide assembly, and it speaks from a sentiment I want recorded in our community reflection. I encourage you to read it in full.

Rev. Wells states, “From colonial rule to this present day, racism has remained a constant. People have been hurt by this very particular sin. We cannot receive this apology simply as a cheap indulgence to clear the conscience of our oppressors. If this assembly and Church could only be sensitive enough to understand receiving this apology without the ELCA’s intentional and equitable change in our practices could make this beautiful sentiment null and void.”

I share these churchwide decisions because they represent two things to me. They represent our continued discernment of our beliefs and practices of faith as Lutherans in 2019, AND, they remind us that discernment changes and evolves us. We as a body of faith are being challenged to link our practices of community care with a practice of being public church responding to injustice. We as a body of faith are being brought along to review our institutions, and change what needs to be changed. We as a body of faith are being shown that faith formation, spiritual education, community building practices will look different if we take these statements of our faith more seriously. It is that note that I want to emphasize, and center as the basis for this year’s Children, Youth and Family Ministry choices.

I am sharing with you a template that has been drafted that depicts the flow of upcoming programming with children, youth and families, as well as the learning objectives we have set as priorities. This structure complements the background that I articulate above, bridging creative initiatives with a greater emphasis on blending spiritual disciplines with engagement with the world’s needs.

Key Learning Objectives—used to set priorities and schedule

• Develop increased exposure and comfort with prayer
• Increase awareness of lectionary, liturgy and seasons of the church
• Increase awareness of the Trinity through listening to God, listening to yourself, and listening to each other

Schedule for 2019-20 Calendar

Programmatically, our leading priority is to host intergenerational spaces of learning and relationship building, and to make worship more accessible to families.

All Key Programming will be planned on Sundays, and follow a consistent schedule and template

As a rule, Sunday School and Children & Youth Programming will not be scheduled during holiday weekends

I have heard since being hired that change is hard, and I feel tremendous compassion for that experience. And yet I add for us to wrestle with, that change is church. Change is healthy church. Change is responsive church. Change is repentant church. Change is discipleship, and apostleship, and how we allow our faith to be fueled by a God and a Jesus who are bigger and more challenging than we’ve yet experienced. May that faith be one that links us, and helps us to try new types of ministry together.

Amanda Lindamood, Youth Director