EAST Meets in Los Angeles
Diocesan Press Service. May 2, 1975 [75166]
John Farnsworth, Canon Missioner, Communications, Diocese of Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- The second annual conference of the year old national EAST was held at St. Paul's Cathedral and the Los Angeles Hilton Hotel April 3-5.
EAST, an acronym for "Episcopal Asiamerica Strategies Taskforce," is in its second year of life following a first organizational meeting in San Francisco in February, 1974. A creature of the 1973 Louisville General Convention, it is a response to the growing concern of the Episcopal Church for the need to minister to the rapidly growing Asian American population in our communities.
This growth is seen as a result of the natural population growth of Asian Americans already here, and as a result of the massive in-migration of Asians to our urban areas. The latter has been prompted in large part by relaxation of immigration laws.
Following an opening Eucharist in the Cathedral at which The Rt. Rev. Robert C. Rusack, Bishop of Los Angeles, was celebrant, nearly 150 delegates dealt with the conference question: "What is Asian Ministry?"
They worked in panel and plenary sessions and small discussion groups with focus points presented by civic and ecumenical leaders from the Los Angeles Asian American community. The panelists were led by conference moderator, The Rev. Kay Kokubun, a Disciples minister, Project Supervisor of the Asian Unit, Los Angeles County Department of Community Services.
Delegates reached the conclusion that Asian ministry is not one but many ministries. It must take into account separate traditions, cultures, backgrounds and languages of Asian peoples as well as the very different needs of first, second, third and even fourth generation Asians now living in America.
A large portion of the conference work dealt with the social, physical and spiritual needs of Asians, many of whom are recent immigrants. It must be a ministry, said the group, by Asians to Asians, by Asians to anyone, by anyone to Asians, and about Asians to anyone.
The Rev. Lincoln P. Eng, rector of St. Bartholomew's Church, Beaverton, Oregon and national EAST chairman, summed up the conference when he said, "This conference has given us an opportunity to look at ourselves -- Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, Filipinos -- and to see our oneness in the Lord. It has enabled us to see this oneness, our wholesomeness, given to us by the Lord, by virtue of which we can minister to and with each other. "
Other conference speakers were The Rt. Rev. William J. Gordon, former Bishop of Alaska and presently a consultant at "815 " for "New Patterns of Ministry" and also the director of TEAM ("Teach Each A Ministry") ; The Rt. Rev. C. Kilmer Myers, Bishop of California; and The Rev. Dr. Roy Sano (Methodist), Chaplain and Assistant Professor of Religion, Mills College, Oakland, and Director of the Asian Center for Theology and Strategies.
A presentation of films and slides was highlighted by a premiere showing by Mr. Lew Ayres, in person, of his new color documentary film, Altars of the World: the Religions of Man.
The main social event of the conference was a Friday night banquet at the Golden Palace Restaurant in Chinatown. Entertainment included a Japanese classical dance performed by the Asamiya School of Classical Dance at St. Mary's Church, Los Angeles ; Filipino highland dances from the Mountain Province and Baguio done by Filipino Episcopalians from the Los Angeles area; and a Polynesian serenade by The Rev. Dr. Scone Halapua, Assistant at St. Mark's Church, Altadena.