Intercultural

In 2012, the board of our Conference committed to developing intercultural relationships among communities of faith. Our conference has defined intercultural as

“…living out the mission of God across the cultural, racial, economic, ethnic, and national boundaries that tend to divide and stereotype people, toward the goal of being one reconciled people who are transformed by our relationships as we experience now the vision of Revelation 7:9-12.”

This certainly means we purposely bring people of different cultures and ethnicities alongside one another. We, however, are committed to something deeper than that. We strive for more than just a distant appreciation of one another, or other cultures accommodating to the dominant white culture. An “intercultural” commitment means we nurture “a deep understanding and respect for all cultures.” This means deep relationships, even if this means uncomfortable conversations, where “no one is left unchanged because everyone learns from one another and grows together” (Spring Institute).

What steps are we taking to begin to live out our intercultural commitment?

We are assessing current relationships and communities that have potential to move in an intercultural direction. We are committed to building strong relationships among ministries and congregations generally, strengthening our bonds and our ability to change. We are striving to make sure any cross-cultural relationship-building happens with mutual respect rather than one culture dominant over the other. We have developed an Intercultural Team with two dedicated staff that will help incorporate the conference board rep into the Intercultural team. This work is not easy, nor should it be. With God’s help, we can strive for a more just future for all of us.