Many Faces, One Church: A Manual for Cross-Racial and Cross-Cultural Ministry

United Methodist Studies

This manual is designed to help clergy and denominational personnel understand the context, theology, ministry, and mission of cross-racial and cross-cultural pastoral appointments in The United Methodist Church.

This book is written by persons who have successfully served in cross-racial and cross-cultural appointments. In a sense, it is what they wished they had known before they began and it is what they believe the church needs to understand in order to fulfill her theological mandate of inclusivity.

As the face of American Christianity becomes increasingly complex, there will be more and more cross-racial and cross-cultural pastoral appointments. This will be especially true for The United Methodist Church because because of the ecclesial commitment to insure the equal treatment of all clergy irrespective of race, ethnicity, or gender.

 "At a time when churches seem to desire homogeneity with Sunday morning, still one of the most segregated time in the week, the United Methodist Church has renewed its commitment to cross-racial and cross-cultural appointments. When the race or ethnicity of leadership breaks into comfortable homogeneity, the church is given both great challenge and wonderful possibilities. This resource will help with both! It is enriched with the witness of Bishop Lyght's own ministry and the experiences of Glory and Jacob Dharmaraj. Theological educators will use this book as we seek new ways to prepare students for ordination in this complex world."

Ernest S. Lyght is bishop of the West Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church.

Glory Dharmaraj is executive secretary for justice education for Women’s Division of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries.

Ernest S. Lyght is a retired bishop of The United Methodist Church. He is co-author of Many Faces, One Church; Our Father; and Confessions of Three Ebony Bishops, all published by Abingdon Press. He lives in Delanco, New Jersey.