March 2023 Newsletter
The Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Join us at Berkeley Hills Lutheran Church on Sunday, March 26 at 4pm for a worship service and program around the theme "A Home for ALL in the Beloved Community: Equitable Development and Housing in Pittsburgh".
Our preacher for the 4pm worship service is the Rev. Dr. Asa Lee, President of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. Bishop Kurt Kusserow and Bishop Abraham Allende will preside.
Following worship, a dinner of loaded nachos will be provided by the Little Free Food Truck, a ministry of House of Prayer Lutheran Church, Aliquippa.
After dinner, join a series of panelists from local, state, and national organizations for a discussion on Equitable Development and Housing in Pittsburgh & small group conversation with housing experts in Pittsburgh.
Find more information about this event here.
Learn, Advocate, Build (MLK Pre-Event)
Leading up to our synod’s commemoration of Dr. Marin Luther King Jr., join us on Saturday, March 25 from noon-4pm at Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community (2700 Jane St, Pittsburgh) for this experiential day of learning about housing inequity. Visit with groups of people experiencing housing insecurity for a time of listening and fellowship; Deacon Brooke DeJong and Rev. Dr. Evie Landrau of the ELCA World Hunger Network will introduce the new ELCA Housing Resource Guide; and Tracey DePasquale, Director of LAMPa, will discuss housing advocacy opportunities. The 1pm and 3pm presentations will be available via Zoom.
Congregation Council Training Recap
At last month’s Congregation Council Training, ADJ team members Amy Kelly and Pastor Kerri Clark offered a workshop highlighting the work of ADJ and sharing resources to help Council leaders and clergy facilitate conversation about diversity and justice in their context. Participants were invited to think about the gift of the diversity with the image of the body from 1 Corinthians 12, particularly verses 17 & 19: “If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? If all were a single member, where would the body be?” Diversity enriches all of us, as we bring our unique gifts and experiences for the sake of the whole.
It was a wonderful opportunity to also see the diversity of thought within our congregations across the synod. One of the activities we led, the Power Flower*, opened the room up for discussion about power dynamics within our different identities. Our discussion included race and gender, but also body size and length of time as a Lutheran. It made us consider ideas like, do we have inclusive seating in our buildings, and how our church experience influences the decisions we make as a council. We appreciated hearing the different ways our congregations could use their power to make their churches a more inclusive place for all.
*With the Power Flower activity, participants are invited to consider how much power and privilege certain aspects of their identity afford them. The more power and privilege they hold, the closer to the center they are for that set of petals. For example, under the category of "gender" we invited those who identify as male to color in the center petal, those who identify as women to color in the middle petal, and those who identify as nonbinary or transgender to color in the outer petal. While participants are free to share their completed flower with the group, there is fruitful discussion whether they share their specific identities or not.
Synod Lenten Challenge
Lent is both a time of reflection on the past and looking to the future; the 50th Anniversary of the passing of Section 504 is an opportunity to see where the disability community has been, where they are now, and what we can do to support them moving forward.
We often see Jesus heal disabilities, without thinking what it means to be living with a disability in his time. This year's Lenten challenge will open our minds and hearts to being aware of the way we have inadvertently excluded people from worship and community, and move in a direction towards inclusion.
Each week includes:
Story of an individual
Action Items
Prayer
Find each week's materials here.
Chapel service at PTS
The World Mission Initiative at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary hosted several mission trips to Guatemala, Lebanon, Palestine/Israel, and the Philippines in January. You are welcome to join them at a chapel service to hear of their experiences on Thursday, March 23 from 11:30am-noon at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (616 N. Highland Ave, Pittsburgh). This service was rescheduled from January 31.
Autism Awareness & Acceptance Day
Autism Acceptance & Awareness Day is April 2. This is a great time to learn more about Autism and how you can be more accepting and inclusive of the autism community.
If you would like to learn more about Autism, check out this great book list created by a neurodiversity affirming group (That Au-some Book Club.). ADJ member Amy Kelly's family recommends Uniquely Human, and The Reason I Jump. For kids, Why Johnny Doesn't Flap: NT is Okay! and Not Your Typical Dragon.
This video by PANDAS is also a great way to learn more - it's geared towards children, but a great start for anyone wanting to learn more.
Summer Cultural Immersion Trip
Pastor Dennis Orson is coordinating a trip to the Pine Ridge Reconciliation Center in South Dakota this summer from June 6-13 for a cultural immersion program. He is looking for more participants to join their group of pastors and lay people. Contact Pastor Dennis at orsentheophilus@prodigy.net.
Racial Justice Training
Region 8 Training: Local and online opportunities for racial justice training are coming up in May! Region 8’s Racial Justice Training equips leaders (rostered and lay) to face the challenges of racism in a diverse, complex and changing world by providing tools and resources that foster healthy and holy conversations. Each workshop addresses these aspects of racism:
Talking about Race: language and vocabulary
History and systemic racism in the United States, and
How to begin conversations and actions in your ministry context.
Find more information here; registration will be available soon.
ASDIC Training: Anti-Racism Study Dialogue Circles (ASDIC) offers a variety of workshops and training opportunities. Learn more here.