Active listening and motivational interviewing can be powerful tools in promoting racial reconciliation. Active listening involves fully focusing on and understanding a person's perspective: emoting oneself to listen without judgment or interruption. Motivational interviewing is an empowering, collaborative, and empathetic approach designed to help people find within themselves the motivation to move toward becoming the person God calls them to be.

In the context of racial reconciliation, active listening can help individuals better understand the experiences and perspectives of others from different backgrounds. By genuinely listening to and empathizing with these experiences, we can begin to build bridges of understanding and being about reconciliation. Motivational interviewing can also promote racial reconciliation by helping individuals explore their motivations for change. People might explore personal biases and prejudices and identify the benefits of working toward reconciliation and building a more inclusive, beloved community.

Join Recovery Coach Professionals Pastor John R. Unger II and Marti Steiner Unger as we focus on listening with love by learning and practicing the skills of active listening and motivational interviewing in life.

Rev. John R. Unger II Bio: 

Rev. John R. Unger II is a social entrepreneur and spiritual coach utilizing an adaptive, servant-leadership approach through theology, asset-based Rev. John R. Unger II is a social entrepreneur and spiritual coach utilizing an adaptive, servant-leadership approach through theology, asset-based community development (ABCD), restorative justice, and public service. A Rhodes Scholar, Pastor Unger worked with Mother Teresa in Calcutta, India, to provide care to the poorest of the poor and emergency relief for Kurdish refugees, orphanages, children's hospitals, senior care homes, and homes for the mentally disabled in Iraq during the wars. Pastor Unger is a pastor and priest of three historic Harpers Ferry Civil War churches of three denominations (Lutheran, Episcopal, and United Methodist). As a Recovery/Life  Coach Professional / Master Facilitator and a WRAP I facilitator, Pastor Unger started in Appalachia the Greater Recovery and Community Empowerment (GRaCE) where he helped train over 4,000 recovery/life coaches and peer recovery support specialists who work to address trauma, addiction, and mental illness in their communities. He also serves as Senior Advisor to the White House Executive Office of the President (EOP) and Special Senior Advisor to the Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), engaging and coordinating international faith leaders in an international interfaith coalition to address the global synthetic drug threat and assisting rural communities on trauma, addiction, and mental health integrated approaches that save lives.

Marti Steiner Unger Bio:

Marti Steiner Unger received her Bachelor of Arts in Education from Glenville State University.  She is a Recovery Coach Professional, GRaCE Recovery Coach/Life Coach Master Facilitator, and a WRAP I facilitator. Marti is co-founder and Executive Director of Greater Recovery and Community Empowerment (GRaCE), a 501c3 nonprofit organization that, in conjunction with higher education, trains, empowers and connects Recovery/Life/Youth/Nurse Health Coaches (www.StrengthInGRaCE.com). She is an award winning film director, author, composer, the mom of five amazing people, and is the caregiver of 100,000 honeybees. Marti is a member of Mt Zion Episcopal Church, in Hedgesville WV, a graduate of the WV Iona Collaborative (Seminary of the Southwest) and currently a candidate for ordination for the Episcopal Diocese of WV.

Rostered ministers and leaders may sustain lived and embodied theologies that impede holistic flourishing for their congregations or institutions. At the same time, institutions and churches lived and embodied theologies could also be life-limiting for the leaders, congregants, and communities. Therefore, I claim to provide socially, and politically liberating care praxis, rostered ministers and leaders need to assess their own and their institutions' historically embodied and lived theologies. The care practices that emerge from interrogating lived theologies may enable pastoral care caregivers to construct culturally relevant and socially just spaces that make individuals and communities feel they belong. During this workshop, we will discuss, and design lived theologies and articulate deliberative and intentional care theologies and practices in social and political spaces.

The Rev. Dr. Rode Molla
Assistant Professor, Berryman Family Chair for Children’s Spirituality and Nurture at Virginia Theological Seminary

Speaker Bio:
Dr. Molla is a native of Ethiopia. In Ethiopia, she worked first as a children’s program director and then at the denominational level of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY), where she collaborated with diverse ethnic groups, religious leaders, and national and international organizations that work for social justice, peace, and reconciliation of children. Her practical work with pastors, children, and youth ministers, and theologians focused on empowering those most at risk to resist the social, cultural, and economic injustice that exposes children to risk. Dr. Molla’s work specifically analyzes the risks and unjust social and political practices that children face through a pastoral care practice of resistance, empowerment, liberation, and nurture to encourage holistic development and socially just ministerial and political practices.

Dr. Molla’s research and writing interests employ an interdisciplinary approach at the intersection of lived religion, the spirituality of children and families, postcolonial studies, political, intercultural, and postcolonial pastoral and practical theological methods, and critique of neoliberalism.

Dr.  Molla holds a B.Th. from the Mekane Yesus Seminary, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2005; an M.A. in Children, Youth, and Family Ministry from Luther Seminary, Saint Paul, MN, 2013; a Master of Theology from Western Theological Seminary, Holland, MI, 2015; and a Ph.D. in Religion from the University of Denver and Iliff School of Theology, Denver, CO, 2021.

Bishop Ortiz will moderate a discussion with the newly formed Reconciling in Christ Team Lead and leaders from two congregations who have recently gone through the RIC process to provide insight into how to begin the RIC process and how to prepare for potential pitfalls.

Panelists: Rev. Lynn Miller-King of Kings, Philip Moeller-RIC Team Lead, Rev. Tony Prinsen-Emmanuel Lutheran

All organizations have cultures with components having their own related subcultures. As a leader you will find yourself facing questions regarding culture at various levels – your church, the Synod, and the ELCA. Starting with Biblical/Church cultural shifts as an illustration, the workshop will present basic concepts and overview of the Cultural Shift Racial Equity Goals. A framework for discussing readiness for shifting cultures, the nature of resistance, and developing strategies for success will be presented. Discussion will include cultural topics such as assimilation, valuing differences, and facilitating factors for effecting change.

Duke Taylor
Member of the Racial Equity Audit Strategic Planning Team

Speaker Bio: 

Duke Taylor is a retired Federal/Naval Human Factors/Organizational Psychologist. He received his BS in Psychology with minor in Theatre from Lincoln University of MO and his MA in Clinical Psych & PhD in Experimental Psych from the University of New Mexico. The former is an Historically Black College/University and the latter is a Hispanic Serving Institution. The taught at Lincoln University before joining the US Navy as an Aerospace Experimental Psychologist. He left active duty to join the Federal Aviation Administration where he worked in human resource strategic planning, diversity, civil rights, minority outreach, human resource management, and Freedom of Information Act management.

Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSSNCA) will facilitate a discussion on volunteering best practices; the challenges facing organizations and congregations related to volunteering; and how to get more people to volunteer within your congregation and externally. This workshop will be interactive, so please bring your ideas, examples of things that have worked for you, and your questions. Our goal is to facilitate a productive brainstorming session which is supported by our experiences and your experiences.

Christine Dunn, Director for Community Engagement, LSSNCA & Kyle Hughes, Volunteer Coordinator, LSSNCA

Kyle Hughes Bio
Kyle Hughes is the current volunteer Coordinator with Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital area. He has a background tailored to volunteerism with years' experience as a volunteer, allowing him to see firsthand some of the best practices. He has a degree in sociology, demonstrating his love for the study of humanity and working with people. Kyle served previously as the volunteer coordinator for a local nonprofit battling homelessness. His passion lies in working with people, helping others, and finding new ways to improve things for those that we serve.

Christine Dunn Bio
Christine Dunn is an ordained minister in the ELCA having served for 14 years as a pastor in Montgomery County, Maryland. She currently serves as Director for Community Engagement for Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area. Pastor Christine’s passion lies in connecting faith and service to build brave communities.

Deacon Julie Stecker
Assistant to the Bishop, Youth + Family Ministry