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["Frank Imhoff" <FRANKI@elca.org>]

'A Passionate Ecumenicist,' VELKD Bids Farewell to Kdte Mahn
LWF Honors Mahn's Dedicated Service to German National Committee and Lutheran
Communion 

HANOVER, Germany/GENEVA, 17 February 2004 (LWI) - A "passionate ecumenicist,
but with no illusions; profoundly sympathetic, but without sentimentality"
were among words used by United Evangelical Lutheran Church in Germany
(VELKD) Presiding Bishop, Dr Hans Christian Knuth of Schleswig, in honoring
Oberkirchenrdtin Kdte Mahn who recently retired from her position as
executive secretary of the German National Committee of the Lutheran World
Federation (GNC/LWF). 

At a farewell worship service February 11, Knuth particularly recognized
Mahn's active role in the struggle to end apartheid in South Africa and her
contribution toward the ending of the East-West conflict. Mahn, 61, was also
head of international relations at the VELKD with responsibility for Europe. 

Rev. Sven Oppegaard, representing the LWF general secretary, paid tribute to
Mahn's "tireless efforts to uphold the work and integrity of the GNC and of
the LWF.... Over the years you have become more and more the face and the
voice of the GNC." Oppegaard noted that she had performed this service with
outstanding competence. The LWF had benefited in many ways from her
"commitment to our common responsibilities," he added.

Mahn studied theology at the Universities of Gvttingen and T|bingen in
Germany, and California in Berkeley (USA). As a pastor in the Evangelical
Lutheran Church of Hanover, she also served as an examiner at the theological
seminary in Hildesheim. In 1980, she was called as the first woman
Oberkirchenrdtin [upper level executive] in the VELKD Lutheran church office
in Hanover. In 1983, she became the first woman superintendent in the Hanover
church in Gvttingen. Three years later she returned to the VELKD and also
became the GNC/LWF executive secretary. 

Rev. Norbert Denecke succeeds Mahn in both positions effective February 1.
Denecke, 45, was officially installed in his new VELKD position during the
worship service in Hanover. The pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
Brunswick studied theology in Bethel, Hamburg and Gvttingen in Germany, and
at the theological faculty of the Waldensian Church in Rome, Italy. After
serving as vicar in Cremlingen near Wolfenb|ttel, Germany, and in the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Florence, Italy, he worked as a pastor in
Goslar, Germany, 1989-1995, then moved to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
Italy (ELCI) as a pastor in Milan. He became ELCI vice-dean in 1998.

In his sermon Bishop Knuth, who is also the GNC/LWF chairperson, noted that
"Lutheranism is not a narrow confessional party, but rather an inner
communion uniting many Christians worldwide." He noted that it extends to
five continents and is "very far from being just something for Germans."
Belonging together with the other LWF churches "widens our hearts and our
horizons," he remarked. 

The VELKD brings together eight regional churches in Germany, namely, the
Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Bavaria, Brunswick and Thuringia, of
Hanover, Mecklenburg, Saxony, Schaumburg-Lippe and the North Elbian
Evangelical Lutheran Church. The GNC/LWF comprises the VELKD member churches,
as well as the Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Baden and Oldenburg,
Evangelical Church of Pomerania, Church of Lippe (Lutheran Section) and the
Evangelical Church in W|rttemberg. (525 words)

[The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran
tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund (Sweden), the LWF now has 136 member
churches in 76 countries representing 62.3 million of the almost 66 million
Lutherans worldwide. The LWF acts on behalf of its member churches in areas
of common interest such as ecumenical and inter-faith 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 LWF's information service. 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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