“In this new life one’s nationality or race or education or social position is unimportant; such things mean nothing. Whether a person has Christ is what matters, and he is equally available to all.” 

“Strength lies in differences, not in similarities”  —Stephen R. Covey

Half of LMC congregations are predominantly people of color. Realizing this fact is critical for mission. LMC worships in 11 different languages: English, Spanish, Vietnamese, French, Karen, Mara, Amharic, Swahili, Laotian, Nepali, and Creole.

In March of 2021, the LMC-Legacy Foundation funded a grant to access and address race within LMC. The AAILT will lead and facilitate the grant-funded activities. The work will take place in two phases. Phase 1 addresses LMC internal policy. Phase 2 implements new resource development.

The AAILT uses the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) as a primary tool to assess and increase intercultural competence within organizations.

The African-American Intercultural Leadership Team (AAILT), formally approved by the CEC as a ministry of LMC, addresses issues of race and intercultural competence. This group has focused leadership attention on racial issues within LMC. Its task is to help move leaders and members of LMC from minimalization toward acceptance and adaptation in the language of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI)  .

The team is led by Bishop Al Motley, who is also LMC assistant moderator.

A letter from LMC Moderator

LMC Resources:

Currently, LMC has the following opportunities and resources for followers of Jesus who want to increase their intercultural competency and share together in the pursuit of justice:

Opportunities

1. People with a variety of gifts, skills and all abilities are needed, to develop resources and create spaces for this journey across cultural divides. If you are ready to work with others to develop and provide resources throughout LMC. If you are ready to create settings where others in your area can gather and share the pursuit of justice: the Intercultural Leadership Ministry of LMC is looking for right-now, next-era servant leaders who want to pursue justice. Please contact Karl A. McKinney, Intercultural Leadership Minister at kmckinney@lmcchurches.org, (717) 293-5246 (LMC phone)

• Monthly online prayer gathering of the Intercultural Prayer Team | Third Monday each month at 7pm. This team gathers to pray for LMC as it seeks to experience intercultural leadership life and ministry together. The team is led by Dr. Aivi Nguyen. To join with other sisters and brothers in prayer, please contact Dr. Nguyen, at her email address: Aivi.Nguyen3@gmail.com

There are more monthly prayer gatherings you may join. If you would like to connect to these opportunities, please contact Karl A. McKinney or Marcia Mylin at mmylin@lmcchurches.org

Resources

• The Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) – The first cohort of leaders began their IDI experience in the fall of 2020, learning with the help of Hyacinth Stevens, IDI Qualified Administrator, to develop their intercultural competency. I am planning for the second cohort of pastors and congregation leaders to begin a cohort in the first half of 2022. If you are at all interested in more information about the IDI, contact Karl A. McKinney, Intercultural Leadership Minister, at kmckinney@lmcchurches.org, (717) 293-5246 (LMC phone). Once you’ve begun the IDI experience, you won’t be left to journey alone. For a description of the IDI, see Intercultural Development Inventory | IDI, LLC (idiinventory.com)

• If you as leaders, districts and congregations, are experiencing conflict around intercultural issues, and you would like help in discerning how to engage the topics of intercultural competency, along with specific issues such as race, racism, caste, and gender-based discrimination, please contact Karl A. McKinney for limited one-to-one and group engagements

• Additional resources including a glossary, a growing directory of answers / responses to frequently asked questions, and links to other online resources, will be posted on the LMC website in the very near future.