Ministries

• Diversity Task Force on Sexual Orientation and Gender Expression
• Environmental Justice Task Force
• BR²ICK ~ Building Racial Reconciliation in Christ's Kingdom
• Acts In Common
• Church in Society Committee
• Mission Partners
• Building Healthier Congregations
• Hunger Task Group
• The Veterans Task Force
• Women of the ELCA (WELCA)

Diversity Task Force on Sexual Orientation and Gender Expression is committed to justice and full inclusion of all God's people within our congregations, the Southeast Michigan Synod and the ELCA through education, support, advocacy and faith!  For more information, contact Pat Gilbreath psg519@charter.net and Rob Montry montry@umflint.edu.

Environmental Justice Task Force calls the people of the Southeast Michigan Synod to awareness and action for all aspects of environmental justice, recognizing the full expanse of God's creation.  For more information, contact Pr. Bob Hegdal bicyclepastor@yahoo.com.

BR²ICK (Building Racial Reconciliation in Christ’s Kingdom) is designed to Build Racial Inter-Dependence through Grace and Empowerment to Heal and Empower God's Anti-racist People (Bridge The Gap). This team is co-chaired by Rev. Julianne Smeck smeckj@mac.com  and Rev. Michael Johnson mvjohn3@sbcglobal.net.

Acts In Common is an organization of Christian believers who seek to renew, resource and empower Lutheran congregations and ministries in African American neighborhoods in the Detroit metropolitan area.  Acts In Common seeks to assist these congregations and ministries in finding creative and public ways to invite others to know God's love through Jesus Christ.  For more information, please visit www.actsincommon.org.

The purpose of the Church in Society Committee is to encourage and support programs throughout southeast Michigan that respond to Christ's expectation that we feed the hungry, clothe the naked, welcome the stranger and minister to the confined and imprisoned.  It is important for us, as the church in society, to respond to God's people by seeking ways to provide justice, mercy and reconciliation.  For more information, contact Pr. John Negele at revjohnneg@sbcglobal.net.

The Mission Partners team promotes and encourages partnerships in mission that God has given all of us to share. The team links the gifts of individuals and congregations to expand the opportunities to share God's love in our missional outreach through prayer, presents and presence.  How might God be calling you or your church to become a mission partner?  For more information, contact Pastor Carl Ames, Mission Partners Coordinator, pastorames@sbcglobal.net or Pastor Jack Eggleston, Mission Director, revjegg@aol.com.

The Veterans Task Group will focus on seeking justice for returning veterans, and providing care and support primarily to the men and women of the National Guard and Reserves who are returning home after a deployment and their families.  It will also reach out to retired veterans of all services who have needs. For more information on this development ministry contact Rev. Carl Ames at pastorames@sbcglobal.net. 

Women of the ELCA (W/ELCA) is a ministry that has a presence in over 100 of this synod’s 128 congregations.  The women express their thanksgiving by providing support of time, talents and gifts to many of the ELCA’s causes and events.  For more information contact semi-welca@hotmail.com.