wfn.org | Lutheran World Federation celebrates 50th anniversary of founding

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Journey through LWF history
"Jubilee" continues anniversary celebration

HONG KONG, July 25, 1997 (lwi) - Lutherans from many nations celebrated the
50th anniversary of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) with songs,
streamers, balloons and stories at a jubilee gala July 13.

The organization was established in 1947 at Lund, Sweden.

The jubilee evening was a journey through history featuring special music
and "a cloud of witnesses" from every era of the LWF's experience. The
names of heroes and mentors in the faith sounded through the memories in
the hall of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center where the Ninth
Assembly was meeting.

LWF General Secretary Ishmael Noko told participants, "The journey
continues. We are a colorful communion, a growing communion with space for
diversity of opinion. The LWF will have a blessed future as a people
committed to stay together and to witness together."

The Rev. James Crumley of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America told
of his experience as a college student volunteer at the founding assembly
in Lund and later as a member of the LWF Executive Committee in Curitiba,
Brazil. He remembered the reconciling leadership of Bishop Hans Lilje of
Hanover, Germany, who was imprisoned by the Nazis and experienced the
Allied bombing raids at the end of during World War II.

The Rev. Andrew Hsiao, former president of the Hong Kong Lutheran
Theological Seminary, told about the "courageous" witness of Bishop Lajos
Ordass of Hungary at an LWF Assembly in Minneapolis, Minn., in the United
States in 1957. Ordass was persecuted by the communist regime in Hungary.

The Assembly heard from other LWF "elders" who did pioneering work: Bodil
Solling of Denmark, the first woman nominated for the LWF presidency;
Emmanuel Abraham of Ethiopia; Dr. B.V. Subbamma of India; Susannah
Telewoda, the first woman to be elected LWF vice president, and others.

The elders passed on their legacy and tangible symbols to youth
participants, the generation of leaders who will bring the organization
into a new century.

Participants sang the anniversary hymn, composed by Taiwanese musicologist,
I-to Loh with a text by American Ruth Duck. African percussion, mezzo
soprano Lee Bing of Hong Kong, a brass quintet from Bavaria, and the
Copenhagen Boys Choir added variety to the musical flavor.

Musimbi Kanyoro from Kenya and Marc Chambron from France were hosts for the
evening.

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