wfn.org | LWF's Tenth Assembly theme - "For the Healing of the World"

[franki@elca.org]

Executive Committee announces Assembly dates.

GENEVA, 1 December 2000, (LWI) -"For the Healing of the World" is the theme
of the Tenth Assembly of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) that will take
place in Winnipeg, Canada from 21 to 31 July 2003.

The LWF Executive Committee, chaired by the Federation's president, Bishop
Dr. Christian Krause, took the decision on the Assembly theme and dates at
its November 26 to 27 meeting in Geneva, Switzerland.

The LWF president described the theme as "a signal" for Christians. Bishop
Krause said the concept of "healing" brings out different aspects such as
saving the creation, resolving conflicts among nations, between different
ethnic groups, between rich and poor and the challenge of globalization.
"What is essential now," he said, "is that the rather generalized wording of
this theme can become something specific."

In an interview with Lutheran World Information (LWI), the LWF president
also spoke of the theme's significance in the context of the Tenth Assembly
host church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada. The North American
members of the LWF wanted the theme to speak of bringing different peoples
together onto a common ground, with particular consideration for the native
people of Canada. "They wanted to speak of making whole as opposed to
destruction and brokenness," said Krause.

The LWF general secretary, Rev. Dr. Ishmael Noko described "For the Healing
of the World" as a timely and significant ecumenical theme because it
conveys a sense of commitment to the global proclamation of the gospel.
 
"It also has a practical character and a spiritual dimension," Noko told
LWI. He emphasized that under this broad theme, churches in the Lutheran
tradition will be able to identify the "accents", the places of emphasis
where God is calling us to be in the new millennium.

The LWF general secretary said the gathering in Winnipeg for Lutheran
churches would be an expression not only of their worldwide communion but
also of a community of believers sent out to the world for the sake of the
world. It is Dr. Noko's hope that the Tenth Assembly theme "would also
remind us of the need to be reconciled with one another - ecumenically and
also as people and communities in the world today."

The decision to hold the Tenth Assembly in Canada was taken by the LWF
Council at its June 2000 meeting in Turku, Finland. An Assembly Planning
Committee appointed in Turku is expected to hold its first meeting in
January 2001 in Geneva. The committee, chaired by Rev. Susan E. Nagle from
the USA will, among other responsibilities provide sub-themes for the
Assembly.

Since the founding of the LWF in 1947 in Lund, Sweden, assemblies are
normally held every six years and they serve as important milestones, giving
the Federation direction and new orientation. The last LWF Assembly met in
Hong Kong, China under the theme, "In Christ - Called to Witness".

The themes of previous LWF assemblies were: 
1947 	Lund		The Lutheran Church in the World Today
1952 	Hanover		The Living Word in a Responsible Church
1957 	Minneapolis	Christ Frees and Unites
1963	Helsinki		Christ Today
1970	Evian		Sent into the World 
1977	Dar-es-Salaam	In Christ - A New Community
1984	Budapest		In Christ - Hope for the World 
1990 	Curitiba		I Have Heard the Cry of My People
1997	Hong Kong	In Christ - Called to Witness

(The LWF is a global communion of 131 member churches in 72 countries
representing over 59 million of the world's 63 million Lutherans. Its
highest decision making body is the Assembly, normally held every six years.
Between Assemblies, the LWF is governed by a 49-member Council which meets
annually, and its Executive Committee. The LWF acts on behalf of its member
churches in areas of common interest such as ecumenical relations, theology,
humanitarian assistance, human rights, communication, and the various
aspects of mission and development work. Its secretariat is located in
Geneva, Switzerland.)

[Lutheran World Information (LWI) is the information service of the Lutheran
World Federation (LWF). Unless specifically noted, material presented does
not represent positions or opinions of the LWF or of its various units.
Where the dateline of an article contains the notation (LWI), the material
may be freely reproduced with acknowledgment.]

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