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Bishop’s 2023 MLK Day Message

Durante muchos años, cuando conmemoramos el cumpleaños del Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., me hace recordar mi educación en el seminario. Parecía que cada vez que se mencionaba al Dr. King, la conversación eventualmente se convertiría en la pregunta: “¿Habrías marchado con el Dr. King?”  Los seminaristas liberales blancos decían muy rápido y orgullosamente: “ABSOLUTAMENTE”. En sus mentes, se imaginaban a sí mismos(as) en las fotos en blanco y negro que vemos en los libros de historia, unidos brazo y brazo con el Dr. King en la línea del frente.

Quería estar de acuerdo con ellos(as), pero no estaba tan segura. Ojalá hubiera tenido la visión y el coraje para marchar, pero lo más probable es que yo hubiera sido una de esos moderados(as) blancos(as) que le pidieron al Dr. King que disminuyera la velocidad, que no fuera tan audaz. Incluso, los afroamericanos(as) no pueden aplicar el coraje, y la relativa seguridad de hoy, como en las decisiones que la gente tomó en los años 60, cuando marcharon. La idea de los Derechos Civiles fue controvertida. La participación pública tenía un precio: pérdida de posición social, pérdida de ingresos, amigos(as), familia y, a veces, su libertad, y vida. El largo pero maravilloso libro de David Halberstam, “The Children”, cuenta historias asombrosas de varios jóvenes que arriesgaron todo por la justicia. No había GoFundMe para ayudar. No hay hashtags, ni siquiera teléfonos celulares, a veces ni siquiera teléfonos residenciales para que las personas estén en contacto. La gente necesitaba pararse cerca de una cabina telefónica pública esperando una llamada de noticias sobre la seguridad de familiares, y amigos(as) que protestaban. El Dr. King y quienes trabajaron con él conocían los riesgos, y los tomaron porque sentían que tenían que hacerlo.

Vivimos en un tiempo diferente. Tenemos el enorme privilegio de vivir en un tiempo, y lugar donde la justicia social está escrita en el ADN de muchas de las organizaciones a las que pertenecemos, y en lo que hacemos. Para la mayoría de nosotros(as), ira una protesta contra la brutalidad policial no arriesga nuestros trabajos o posición social. Por supuesto, nuestras diferencias en el estado documentado, el color de la piel, los medios financieros para contratar abogados, etc., influye profundamente en los riesgos que podemos asumir. Pero para muchos(as) de nosotros(as), tenemos la capacidad de ponernos en primera línea de maneras que tal vez no hubiéramos podido en la década de 1960.

Este día de MLK, quiero reconocer el enorme costo que el Dr. King y que otros(as) pagaron. También, quiero reconocer nuestras obligaciones actuales de continuar el trabajo. No podemos detenernos hasta que todos(as) seamos “libres por fin”.  El hecho de que vivamos hoy, casi sesenta años después del Dr. King, es un regalo. Tenemos libertades, leyes y estructuras sociales que surgieron debido a su llamado a un cambio real.  Tenemos oportunidades de arriesgar nuestra comodidad por las necesidades de los demás. Oremos por la guía de Dios sobre a dónde nos llevará este llamado a la justicia a cada uno de nosotros.

Este domingo, 18 de enero, el Sínodo del Suroeste de California ofrecerá nuestro43º servicio anual de conmemoración, y celebración de Martin Luther King. Este servicio on-line se estrenará a las 15h en www.ADLA-LA.org. Por favor, sintonice este inspirador servicio de adoración con tantas personas de nuestro sínodo, incluido el pastor de la Universidad Luterana de California, el Reverendo Scott Adams, como predicador. La memoria del Dr. King será una bendición para usted, y el nombre de Dios será alabado.

Además, el sábado, 25 de febrero, únase a la familia de Nelson Trout a la 1pm, mientras unidos(as), dedicamos la capilla del Reverendo Dr. Nelson W. Trout en el Centro Luterano en Glendale. El Dr. Trout fue el primer Obispo luterano de ascendencia africana en la Iglesia Luterana Americana, y ex pastor de Community Lutheran en Los Ángeles. El lunes 27 de febrero, el Reverendo Kenneth Wheeler, será el anfitrión de una firma de su nuevo libro, “US, The Resurrection of American Terror” en el Centro Luterano. El pastor Wheeler sirvió como pastor en nuestro sínodo antes de servir como asistente del obispo en el Sínodo del Gran Milwaukee. Por favor, únase a nosotros para celebrar a estos notables líderes de nuestra ciudad e iglesia.

Obispa Brenda Bos

Bishop’s 2023 MLK Day Message

Bishop’s Quarterly Report – 4th Quarter

May God bless and keep you in 2023.

I write to give you a report on the Southwest California Synod from the fourth quarter of 2022. Our fiscal year runs February-January, but since most of us think in calendar years, I report as of December, 2022.

At our synod council meeting on December 19, 2022, we received news that our property in Pasadena, the former Messiah Lutheran Church has sold, and the property in Chatsworth, the former Holy Shepherd Lutheran Church is in escrow. We rejoice in the possibilities these building sales afford us for future ministry. We are still reaping the benefits of the sales of a property in Van Nuys and North Hollywood, and fund many ministries with our endowment which came from the sale of First Lutheran in Los Angeles over a decade ago. While the closure of a congregation is sad, the sale of property offers a lasting legacy for hundreds, if not thousands, of people.

Our 2022 Synod Assembly approved a budget which would cover our income shortfalls with the sale of these buildings. Indeed, we can finance a shortfall of $100,000s for several years with these funds. Our current continuing resolution in our constitution calls for us to pay off any existing debt on buildings which are sold, tithe 10% to the ELCA, retain 8% of the sale for handling costs from the synod (staff who worked on maintenance, property management, etc) and then 1/3 to go to synod operating costs and 2/3 to be spend on new or renewed ministry.

As you can imagine, with millions of dollars in proceeds, we can dream big dreams for new and renewed ministries. We are already working toward these ministries with increased spending in senior ministry and youth ministry as well as added support for congregations in transition and in need of pastoral care from the synod. I will be proposing additional ministry support to the synod council at our March meeting, and the budget presented at Synod Assembly in June will also give delegates a chance to make decisions about spending, saving and investment options.

It’s remarkable, in this time of diminishing resources, to receive this new financial influx. I want us to be thoughtful about this money, saving some for future needs, but also strengthening ministry now. I want to encourage you, dear reader, to consider ways you too can be generous in this season. How might you consider your resources differently, using them for the needs which are currently facing your family, your church, your neighborhood? We serve a God who served 5000 with five loaves and two fish. What might God do with what we consider meager resources?

To that end, our synod income, that is, donations from congregations, is coming in below budget, which is common for this time of year. We expect giving will come up to budget, or near budget, as year-end giving and January donations come in. Deficit spending was expected, and will be covered by the 1/3 of building sale proceeds mentioned earlier. Our 2023-2024 budget also has this coverage built in. Of course, we cannot rely on building sales forever. We will need to find additional sources of income, including grants. Since so many of our new ministries work with hunger, youth and seniors and mental health, I anticipate we could become eligible for grants in the near future and will be pursuing this. This is a perfect example of creating partnerships outside the church to serve the needs of our communities.

We will be inviting you into house meetings with members of our synod council and other interested leaders to hear what your congregation cares about and how we might all work together to be church in the future. Facilitators will be contacting your congregational leaders to set up this informal but guided conversations about your learnings from COVID, how you are faring in this economy, etc. As we plan our future, it’s important to be able to hear from people in the pews!

Our staff is working with several congregations to collaborate on ministry together. We are currently working with groups in the Antelope Valley and Long Beach to consider shared worship and service. Both the Central Coast and Greater Long Beach conferences work together to support the ministries of Iglesia Santa Cruz and Fe Y Esperanza. The Twin Valleys Parish has goals to work together on youth, Latinx ministries, homelessness and general sustainability. We expect other partnerships will emerge out of our house meeting conversations.  What might God be calling us to do?

Here are some upcoming events I’d like to share with you: Synod Assembly will be June 2 and 3 at CLU, under the theme of “Caring for the Body of Christ.” This assembly will include information, speakers and a celebration of how to make your ministry site accessible to seniors, the disabled, and those who have not felt like they are members of the Body of Christ.

Bishop’s Colloquy will be March 27 and 28 and will feature multiple workshops on worship arts. Sandra Dager will join us to teach about embodied worship leadership, Paul Heatley will teach us how to compose psalms and songs, Leah Chang will lead a banner workshop and many other artists will be added.

Our synod treasurer, Mike Metzger, will offer an on-line training for congregational treasurers on Saturday, January 28 at 10 am. He will offer an on-line training for congregational secretaries on Saturday, February 18 at 10am. I will be offering an on-line training and encouragement to congregational presidents on Saturday, February 11 at 10am. All of these zoom meetings will be recorded. This is a wonderful time for newly elected and seasoned officers to learn the ropes and find your peers.

As you can see, we have a lot to look forward to in the coming months. I continue to be honored, humbled and excited to serve as your bishop.

Bishop’s Quarterly Report – 4th Quarter