ASSOCIATION OF

ASIANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

8765 W Higgins Rd
Chicago, IL 60631
alt: 630-863-8634
pongsakelca@yahoo.com

THE ASIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER (AAPI) COMMUNITY IN THE ELCA

Welcome, partners in Christ with a heart for Asian ministry! In the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), about 20,000 members are of Asian or Pacific Islander heritage. About 110 Asian congregations and ministries in the ELCA minister in Asian languages including Burmese, Cambodian, Cantonese, Filipino, Hmong, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Lahu, Laotian, Mandarin, Taiwanese, Thai and Vietnamese. Some of the congregations also provide ministry to second generation Asians.

In addition, many Asians are members of more than 3,000 English-speaking ELCA congregations across the United States. Often there are no Asian culture-specific Lutheran churches in these areas.

Rev. Maria Gracia Sijera-Grant, Pres

Association of Asians and Pacific Islanders-ELCA

Rev. Pongsak Limthongviratn,PhD

Program Director for Asian and Pacific Islander Ministries,

Domestic Mission, ELCA

OUR MISSION

The Association of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the ELCA is the association for and led by Asians in the ELCA. Its mission is:

1. To encourage the expression of Christian faith from an Asian Pacific Islander perspective.

2. To support the unique gifts of Asian Pacific Islanders as they give witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

3. To encourage Asian Pacific Islander members of the ELCA to participate fully in all expressions of the ELCA.

4. To support the implementation of the ELCA national Asian and Pacific Islander Ministry Strategy.

5. To support the growth and development of ordained and lay leadership within the Asian Pacific Islander communities within the ELCA.

Luther's Small Catechism:

An Exposition of the Christian Faith in Asian Contexts and Cultures

RELEASED DATE:

JANUARY 2019

Under the leadership of Prof. Paul Rajashekar, a working committee on Luther’s Small Catechism in Asian Perspective has begun the work on this new book in December 2017.

The working committee consists of:

Prof. Paul Rajashekar (chair), Dr. Manhei Yip (Boston), Prof. Arata Miyamoto (Japan), Prof. Songram Basumatary (India), President Victor Tinambunam(Indonesia), Pongsak Limthongviratn (Chicago).

This slim volume is a good resource in teaching Luther's Small Catechism in contemporary Asian contexts through the lens of poverty, pluralism, justice, corruption, women, local wisdom, ecology in Asia, etc. This volume is now availabe for purchase. To order, please contact

Pongsak Limthongviratn

Domestic Mission Unit, ELCA 8765 W. Higgins Rd.

Chicago, IL 60631

We are grateful to the office of the Presiding Bishop for a grant that supports this project.

ALIC'S RECENT PUBLICATION

What has God done through the lives of Asian Lutherans in Asia and in diaspora? The stories are inspiring – but only if they are told! Abundant Harvest: Stories of Asian Lutherans is a first-of-its-kind book that shares this panoramic story through 16 essays and 99 biographies. Sponsored by the Asian Lutheran International Conference (ALIC), this nearly 500 page book was published in 2012.

Asian Lutheran International Conference (ALIC) is a spiritual network of Asian Lutherans in the U.S. and Asia. ALIC is supported by the Association of Asians and Pacific Islanders-ELCA (AAPI-ELCA).

The AAPI-ELCA holds the copyright, while the Taosheng Publishing House of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hong Kong managed the publication and distribution in Asia. The book was registered in Hong Kong through the Books Registration Office, Hong Kong Public Libraries, Leisure and Cultural Services Department, under the category of church history/biography/culture. There is also a North American distributor is Lutheran University Press.

Edmond Yee and J. Paul Rajashekar served as editors and compilers, Lily R. Wu served as copyeditor. There were a total of 55 colleagues contributed as authors and/or translators of this book.

The grant that supported this project came from Multilingual Resource Fund, administered by Ethnic Specific/ Multicultural Ministries Team of the Domestic Mission Unit, ELCA.

The 10th Asian Lutheran International Conference (ALIC)

SINGING THE LORD’S SONG:

MIGRATION AND MISSION

January 23-30, 2019

Udon Thani, Thailand

2017 ALIC in Medan video highlight

Update:

Altogether 220+ have attended the conference in Udon Thani, Thailand. More photos and videos will be posted on FB.

Presentation Links:

Keynote #1: Margrethe Kleiber

Keynote #2: Rospita Siahaan

Sponsors of the conference:

We are grateful to the following sponsors of the event:

1. The Association of Asians and Pacific Islanders -ELCA

2. Domestic Mission Unit (Asian Desk)

3. Global Mission Unit (Asia and Pacific Desk)

4. Metropolitan New York Synod-ELCA.

PRE-GATHERING YOUNG ADULT WORK CAMP

January 19-22

After raising $12,000, about 60 young adults were gathered at Udon Thani few days before the ALIC gathering. They helped finishing a 1,200 square feet multipurpose hall and four detached toilets built for a village of 200+ families. The hall was dedicated and presneted to the village on January 22, 2019.

We were grateful to the following individuals/ congregations/ organizations for their supports.

1. Asian Ministry Desk, Domestic Mission Unit, ELCA

2. St. Paul Thai Lutheran Church, Forest Park, IL

3. First Evangelical Lutheran Church, Ellicot City, MD

4. Asian Indian Exploration Ministry, Detroit, MI

5. Association of Asians and Pacific Islander-ALIC

6. Rev. Pongsak & Monta Limthongviratnn

7. Mr. Vatou Her, St. Paul, MN

8. Josephine Caring Community, Stanwood, WA

9. Rev. Margrethe Kleiber, Alexandria,VA

10. Rev Eardlry Mendis, Chicago

11. Rev.Perucy Butiku, New York, NY

12. Rev. Brian Shek, Brisbane, Australia

13. Ms. Tania Nelson, Adelaide, Australia

14. Center for Chinese Ministry, AAPI

15. Rev. Rowena Wang, Federal Way, WA

16. Rev. Dr. Fred Rajan, Chicago, IL

17. Prof. Edmond Yee, Berkeley, CA

18. Rev. Paul Nakamura, Torrance, CA

19. Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hong Kong

20. Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, Brooklyn, NY

21. Laotian Caucus, AAPI-ELCA

22. Good Shepherd Thai Ministry, Los Angeles, CA

22. Offerings at the ALIC's Opening and Closing Service

Amount raised as of 1/30/19 $12,326.-

The hall was built inside the Dumrong Pattana Church in Udon Thani. It is a congregation of the Church of Christ in Thailand, ELCA companion church.