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- Lamont Anthony Wells, executive director of the Network of ELCA Colleges and Universities, welcomes folks to the assembly. He has served as president of the ADLA since 2015.
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- Albert Starr shares that he’s serving as interim pastor of Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Santa Monica, Calif.
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- The assembly has a moment of prayer.
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- Carolyn Ann Knight, a well-known preacher and professor, delivers the sermon for the ADLA Assembly opening worship.
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- Imran Siddiqui, vice president of the ELCA, was present over the weekend.
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- Jonathan Hemphill, assistant to the bishop of the Southeastern Synod, and Keith Youngblood, newly elected vice president of the ADLA, greet one another before worship begins.
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- Tracey Beasley, ADLA treasurer, presents her report to the assembly.
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- Yehiel Curry, bishop of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod, stops for a photo before the first plenary session begins.
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- An ADLA member shares thoughts during the plenary session.
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- Jonathan Hemphill shares thoughts during the plenary session.
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- An ADLA member shares thoughts during the plenary session.
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- An ADLA member shares thoughts during the plenary session.
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- An ADLA member shares thoughts during the plenary session.
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- An ADLA member shares thoughts during the plenary session.
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- An ADLA member shares thoughts during the plenary session.
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- Keith Youngblood poses for a photo after the testimony service. During the assembly he was elected ADLA vice president.
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- AnneMarie Mingo, associate professor of ethics, culture, and moral leadership and the acting director of the Metro-Urban Institute at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, was both a guest speaker and workshop leader.
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- Linda Chinnia is the president of the Delaware-Maryland Synod ADLA chapter and attends Church of the Nativity and Holy Comforter, an Episcopal-Lutheran community in Baltimore.
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- Karyn Stanley of the Delaware-Maryland Synod serves as an assisting minister for ADLA worship.
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- Mydea Reeves-Karpeh, corresponding secretary of the ADLA, stops for a photo after the regional caucus meeting takes place.
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- A workshop focused on health was held to discuss how those of African descent are at higher risk for certain illnesses and diseases, and how to best prevent them.
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- Isadore Jackson serves as the conference musician and leads a workshop.
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- An ADLA member raises her hands during the singing of “Lift Every Voice and Sing”
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- Warren Lattimore, a third-year doctorate student at Duke Divinity School, Durham, N.C., serves as a keynote speaker and workshop leader.
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- Quintin L. Robertson from United Lutheran Seminary in Philadelphia at the Saturday evening banquet.
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- Folks pose before the Saturday evening banquet begins.
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- Marc Lamont Hill, the Steve Charles Professor of Media, Cities, and Solutions at Temple University, Philadelphia, speaks at the Saturday evening banquet.
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- A group photo is taken at the Saturday evening banquet.
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- Jesse W. Brown Jr., a pastor from the New Jersey Synod, was elected to serve as the new president of ADLA.
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- Newly elected ADLA president, Jesse W Brown Jr., and his wife.
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- Jesse W Brown Jr., newly elected ADLA president, and his wife.
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- Folks pose before the Saturday evening banquet begins.
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- Folks pose before the Saturday evening banquet begins.
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- Folks pose before the Saturday evening banquet begins.
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- Folks pose before the Saturday evening banquet begins.
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- Folks pose before the Saturday evening banquet begins.
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- Folks pose before the Saturday evening banquet begins.
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- Folks pose before the Saturday evening banquet begins.
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- ADLA’s newly elected leadership is installed Sunday morning.
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- Justina Sergeon from Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Laurel, Md., expresses gratitude for the ADLA gathering.
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- Lamont A. Wells closes the weekend with a sermon during Sunday brunch.
The African Descent Lutheran Association may have dispersed from its assembly, but the memories and mission lives on. This year’s assembly, held July 7-9 in Atlanta, focused on the theme “This is Us.” Over the weekend, ADLA members and guests gathered for worship, engaged with speakers, attended workshops and conducted business, including electing a new president, Jesse W. Brown Jr. from the New Jersey Synod. The weekend gathering gave space for folks to reconnect with one another and spend time engaging in various forms of worship, prayer and meditation. Here are some photo highlights from the assembly.
