Metropolitan New York Synod of the Lutheran Church in America (MNYS – ELCA) Launches New Programming To Honor The Church’s African American Worshippers
NEW YORK– The Metropolitan New York Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America announced their programming to honor African-Descent leaders and members, who have been an integral part of the Church’s rich history. Programming includes providing congregational streaming equipment for African-Descent churches, so that they may expand the reach of their church online; sponsorship of an event from the MNYS Black Equity Table to empower Black congregations; and launching an initiative that provides financial resources to pastoral interns in Black congregations to ensure the development of future Black leaders.
Additionally, The Metropolitan New York Synod—in collaboration with the ELCA— produced a new season of the “Talks at the Desk” video series by the African-Descent Ministries of the ELCA. The four-part video series, which explores the diverse, and ever-changing expressions of the church is now available to stream at ELCA.org/ADM.
“Anti-racism and anti-bias strategies have been a high priority of my term since being elected in 2019,” states Bishop Paul Egensteiner, bishop of the Metropolitan New York Synod, “Ensuring the equity and well-being of all of the beautiful and diverse communities in our synod has been a crucial element of my 2025 Vision Plan and our fight to dismantle systemic racism in our church.”
The three phases of the Metropolitan New York Synod’s programming, in addition to the Talks at the Desk Series was created to uplift the synod’s Black churches and the communities they serve by providing resources and programming.
Phase I of the programming, the Leadership / Technology Initiative, provides congregational equipment for digital outreach, as well as training and education opportunities for lay and ordained leaders on new outreach digital trends, including livestream services, SEO (search engine optimization) best practices, SEM (search engine marketing), among others.
Phase II, Urban Leaders Institute (ULI), is an annual synodically sponsored event organized by the MNYS Black Equity Table to empower urban churches, celebrate Black leaders, and increase learning opportunities for urban BIPOC leaders in the synod.
Phase III, the Black Pastors Internship Program, provides annual financial resources available to Black interns to ensure they access the experience of ministry in urban congregations.
Additional phases will be explored by Black leaders of the Metropolitan New York Synod in collaboration with Bishop Paul Egensteiner and the synod’s Board of Directors.
About Metropolitan New York Synod
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has three expressions: over 10,000 congregations, 65 regional synods, and the church-wide organization. The Metropolitan New York Synod is the regional expression of the ELCA and encompasses 190 ministries in all five boroughs of New York City, Long Island, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester Counties. The 190 ministries are greatly diverse, from rural outposts to inner-city storefront churches, with a good dose of suburban mid-sized congregations as well. Worship is conducted in over a dozen languages, including Spanish, Arabic, Cantonese, Mandarin, Norwegian, German, Swahili, and American Sign Language. Progressive and highly inclusive, the Synod champions diversity and tolerance, with strong multicultural and global missions, as well as unwavering advocacy for children, the LGBTQIA+ community and displaced immigrants. https://www.mnys.org/
