ELCA News Blog
September 12, 2006
Papua New Guinea Lutheran leader says church partnerships important
by John R. Brooks, ELCA News Service
Global partnerships among Lutheran churches are important to smaller Lutheran churches in countries such as Papua New Guinea, said Isaac Teo, general secretary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea. Teo, who visited North America and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Chicago, Aug. 22-25, said the ELCA and the Papua New Guinea Lutheran Church have been partners for a long time. "My visit here is to remind us that we are still partners," he said.
Teo was elected general secretary in January 2006. He came to his new role with credentials as a corporate planner and communication engineer, with years of volunteer work for the church. As general secretary, Teo said a key part of his job is working with partner Lutheran churches to exchange ideas and information. Teo expressed his thanks to the ELCA for its continuing partnership.
While he was in North America, Teo said he learned first-hand about the importance of global church partnerships. "Even though we are separated by mountains, by sea, so many miles away, at that part of the day on Sunday, you here in America, you say the Lord's Prayer, and you say the Apostles' Creed," he said. "At the same time in the Papua News Guinea church we say that same prayer. That binds us together as one big family. I am glad that I am witness to that."
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog