Joint Lutheran effort tackles racism
Faith in the City and LINC—Twin Cities, two local Lutheran umbrella agencies, recently co-sponsored “Dare to Dream,” a conference to provide tools and partnership ideas to combat racism that are readily usable within congregations and organizations.
Keynote speaker Karen McKinney, theology professor, Bethel University, St. Paul, opened with a call-and-response adaptation of an alternative take on the traditional Goldilocks and the Three Bears story. In this version, Goldilocks is guilty of breaking and entering, and it is surprising that she got off so easy.
“I want to challenge you to be listeners of other stories,” McKinney explained to the 100-plus attendees. “When we listen to all the stories,’ she said, “we can see the humanity of all the people.”
Concordia University President Bob Holst and Augsburg College President Paul Pribbenow offered a joint Bible study. Using the three epistles of John, they examined issues of disunity in the early church and how it was addressed.
LINC-Twin Cities, according to its brochure, is a “network of strategic partnerships” which includes Concordia University, The Oswald Hoffmann School of Christian Outreach, the Minnesota South District of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), and LCMS congregations. Faith in the City is a partnership of Augsburg College, Fairview Health Services, Luther Seminary, Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, and the two metro ELCA synod offices.
Tags: Augsburg College, Bob Holst, Bob Hulteen, Concordia University St. Paul, Dare to Dream, Fairview Health Services, Faith in the City, Karen McKinney, LCMS, LINC —Twin Cities, Luther Seminary, Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, Minneapolis Area Synod ELCA, Minnesota South District, Paul Pribbenow, Saint Paul Area Synod ELCA, The Oswald Hoffmann School of Christian Outreach, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans