By The Rev. Rebecca Wicker
Roberts challenged us to consider, “Where is the church reaching out to welcome others from the outside into the center of our work?” This is happening in many and various ways across the entire church and South Carolina Synod is taking part in that work. Since the start of the ELCA, a commitment has been in place to welcome diversity. While we have not made the progress we’d hoped to see in the last 35 years, we are taking time this year as a church to recalibrate, refocus, and reset toward our goal of being an intentionally inclusive and diverse community of faith. This work will happen intensely in the ELCA Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church. This commission, comprised of 35 representatives across the ELCA, includes our very own Deacon Dallas Shealy and Dr. Susan McArver.
The work of the ELCA over the past year, which the South Carolina Synod supports with our Mission Support dollars, has been to engage others who walk different paths from us and bring their gifts and voices to the center so that we may see Christ at work in the world. This happens through work such as ELCA Fund for Leaders, Young Adults in Global Mission, the work of accompaniment with our ELCA Missionaries, our new mission starts both across the ELCA and SC Synod, and International Women Leaders. Our support of the ELCA helps us to see Christ at work in varied and wonderful ways.
