It touches people through the heart and gives a sense of joy. The ELCA currently has more than 11,000 ordained clergy on its roster, of that 11,000 approximately 2,000 are women and only 94 are women of color. Women of color clergy in the ELCA survive pervasive sexism and racism to become ordained. Having come through this experience we bear gifts to help our church become the embracing church God intents it to be. The document is the result of planning meetings, conversations and gathering of women of color clergy over a five year period.
People are afraid to talk about racism and differences, or even talk about there being a problem.
Mich. Bruning is an anti-racism trainer for the Lutheran Human Relations Association. Sensitivity training is needed, starting at the seminary level, said Bruning. There have been voluntary sensitivity trainings, but generally the attendees are not the ones who need the training. More intentional training is needed and is being addressed, to a degree at least, on the churchwide level, she said. My own experience was that of being Spirit-guided.