wfn.org | LWF Message to the Churches and People of the United States of America

["Frank Imhoff" <franki@ELCA.ORG>]

GENEVA, 12 September 2001 (LWI) - Following the tragic acts of
apparent terrorist attacks in New York, Washington D. C. and
Pennsylvania on September 11, Bishop Dr. Christian Krause, President
of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and General Secretary Rev. Dr.
Ishmael Noko express "most profound sympathy" to the families, victims
and the entire people of the United States of America.

Through a joint letter to the bishops of the two LWF member churches
in the USA namely the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and
Lithuanian Evangelical Lutheran Church in Diaspora, Krause and Noko
describe the September 11 events as "catastrophic and incomprehensibly
tragic,"  and pray that "the traumatic experience of hatred will not
lead to the spread of hatred and violence."

LWF's Letter to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and
Lithuanian Evangelical Lutheran Church in Diaspora

Bishop H. George Anderson
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Bishop Hans G. Dumpys
Lithuanian Evangelical Lutheran Church in Diaspora

12 September 2001

Dear brothers in Christ,

	The events which occurred yesterday in New York, Washington DC
and elsewhere in the United States of America can only be described as
catastrophic and incomprehensibly tragic.

	Through you, we wish to express our most profound sympathy to
the families of the victims and to the whole people of the United
States of America in this moment of grief, uncertainty and anger. Our
prayers are with the many grievously injured, that they may recover
from their wounds and trauma.

	We pray that you and all church and religious leaders of your
country will be strengthened for the pastoral responsibility that you
must carry for consoling the bereaved, healing the traumatized,
guiding the lost and confused, strengthening the faith and restoring
the confidence of a shaken nation.

	We also pray that God will give political courage and wisdom
to the leaders of the United States as they consider their response to
this unprecedented outrage. We pray that the traumatic experience of
hatred will not lead to the spread of hatred and violence. We pray for
peace.

	May Jesus Christ, Lord of justice and mercy, comfort and
accompany you and all the people of the United States of America in
this time of trial.

Yours very sincerely,

Bishop Dr Christian Krause
President

Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko
General Secretary

(The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran
tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund (Sweden), the LWF now has 133
member churches in 73 countries representing over 60.5 million of the
64.3 million Lutherans worldwide. 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
acknowledgement.]

*       *       *
LUTHERAN WORLD INFORMATION
PO Box 2100, CH-1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland
Editor's e-mail: pmu@lutheranworld.org
Tel: (41.22) 791.63.54
Fax: (41.22) 791.66.30
http://www.lutheranworld.org/News/Articles/EN/LWI