wfn.org | Council of the Lutheran World Federation to Meet in Geneva

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

Council of the Lutheran World Federation to Meet in Geneva
Agenda Includes Election of General Secretary and Priority Setting for LWF's
Future Work

GENEVA, 23 August 2004 (LWI) - The 2004 meeting of the Council of the
Lutheran World Federation (LWF) will begin with a festive eucharistic service
on Tuesday, August 31 at 16.15 hrs, in Chavannes-de-Bogis near Geneva,
Switzerland. The theme of this year's gathering will be "Growing Together *
Growing Apart."

Rev. Ekkehard Lagoda, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Geneva, will preach at
the opening worship. The Council begins its business sessions from September
1 to 7 in Chavannes-de-Bogis. 

The 49-member Council is responsible for the business of the Federation
between Assemblies, held every six years. The current Council was elected at
the July 2003 LWF Tenth Assembly in Winnipeg, Canada, and held its first
meeting there. It consists of the President, the Treasurer, and both lay and
ordained persons drawn from among the 136 LWF member churches. Advisors,
observers and guests also attend Council meetings.

A special highlight this year will be the election of the LWF General
Secretary scheduled for Wednesday, September 1 in the afternoon. It will take
place in closed session. 

In the course of the September 1-2 plenary sessions, the Council will receive
and discuss the Address of the LWF President, Presiding Bishop Mark S.
Hanson; the Report of the LWF General Secretary, Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko; as
well as the Report of the Treasurer, Mr Peter Stoll. 

The seven Program Committees - Communication Services, Ecumenical Affairs,
Finance and Administration, International Affairs and Human Rights, Mission
and Development, Theology and Studies, and World Service, will meet with
their own agendas from Thursday afternoon, September 2 to Saturday, September
4, and report back to the Council for discussion and action from Sunday
afternoon, September 5.

Further major highlights on the Council agenda include priority setting for
the Federation's future work; establishment and mandate of a Task Force on
Family, Marriage and Human Sexuality; report of the Task Force on Financing
Theology and Ecumenism in the LWF; as well as discussion on the new LWF
Mission Document. (348 words)

The LWF Office for Communication Services (OCS) will provide an information
service in English and German as well as a photo service. Current news will
be posted on the LWF Web site under
http://www.lutheranworld.org/News/Welcome.EN.html 

During the Council meeting LWF/OCS can be reached at mobile telephone number
+41/(0)76-396 2863.

[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.]

*    *	   *

LWI online at: http://www.lutheranworld.org/News/Welcome.EN.html 

LUTHERAN WORLD INFORMATION
PO Box 2100, CH-1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland
Tel: (41.22) 791.63.54
Fax: (41.22) 791.66.30 
Editor's e-mail: pmu@lutheranworld.org