Multiethnic Symposium set for Jan. 26-27

Registration is now open for the 2016 Multiethnic Symposium, to be held Jan. 26-27 at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, under the theme “Communities of Hope: One Community in Christ.”

The biennial symposium brings together Lutherans of various ethnicities from across the country for two days of workshops, discussions and worship. The symposium explores how the church should engage in ethnic ministry and what it means — and what it will take — to become a truly multiethnic church.

“Now expanding in scope and urgency, this event continues to be, at its heart, about sharing and embracing our various cultural perspectives while holding true to the Scriptures and our Lutheran Confessions,” said Kaye Dumas Wolff, symposium co-chairwoman. “No matter what your congregation looks like today, let’s hope that it is culturally different tomorrow because of our growing culturally diverse mission field. Lay leaders are encouraged to attend — to listen and share experiences to help prepare them for the outreach to come.”

Symposium keynote speakers include the Rev. “Kou” Seying, Lutheran Foundation Professor of Urban and Cross-Cultural Ministry and associate dean for Urban and Cross-Cultural Ministry at Concordia Seminary, and the Rev. Dr. Mason Okubo, senior pastor of Immanuel First Lutheran Church, West Covina, Calif. Both speakers will address diversity and unity.

Other plenary sessions will address the intersections of culture and theology. The Rev. Dr. Roosevelt Gray Jr., director of Black Ministry for The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod; the Rev. Dr. Yohannes Mengsteab, mission and ministry facilitator for the LCMS Texas District; the Rev. Eloy Gonzalez of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Irving, Texas; and other leaders will share personal and institutional perspectives from ministry practice.

Sectional presentations will offer a variety of insights from the mission field.

The symposium will conclude with the 10th Annual Lecture in Hispanic/Latin Theology and Missions, presented by the Center for Hispanic Studies at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 27, in Werner Auditorium.

Also in conjunction with the symposium is the seminary’s first HMong Symposium, “One Household in Christ: ib Tse Hauv/Huv Tsww Yexus,” Jan. 23-25, which will explore “the biblical concept of becoming one family in Christ through the means of grace and how everyone is united as one family in Christ through His mission,” according to a seminary news release.

Attending the HMong Symposium — to be conducted in the HMong language — will be HMong pastors, vicars, deacons and seminarians from across the country who are expected to “share how the proclamation of the Gospel … is being carried out in their unique missional context while demonstrating how we all belong to one community in Christ,” said Seying, the featured presenter.

Participants also will attend a special luncheon hosted by LCMS President Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison.

Registration for the HMong Symposium is $75 and includes meals as well as admission to the Multiethnic Symposium.

Registration also is $75, with meals included, for those who are attending only the Multiethnic Symposium.

The registration deadline for both events is Jan. 15. On-campus housing is available for an additional fee.

Online registration and schedules are available here.

For more information, contact Continuing Education at 314-505-7286 or ce@csl.edu .

Posted Dec. 23, 2015