ELCA News Blog
March 12, 2008
Lutherans in Northern Illinois and Tamil Nadu, India, sign covenant
by Melissa Ramirez Cooper, ELCA News Service
The Northern Illinois Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Rockford, and Arcot Lutheran Church, Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, India, established a "companion relationship" when members of each signed a covenant to "strengthen one another for life and mission." About 25 staff, clergy and lay members of the ELCA Northern Illinois Synod traveled to India in January to participate in the signing, visit ministries of Lutherans in India -- particularly relief work from a tsunami that struck three years ago -- Christian sightseeing and more. The ELCA Companion Synod Program seeks to establish relationships among the 65 synods of the ELCA and member churches of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF).
The covenant between the ELCA Northern Illinois Synod and Arcot Lutheran Church calls their members to learn each other's history, geography, culture and current affairs; communicate regularly through visits, letters and e-mail; share devotional and educational materials; develop exchange programs that focus on the needs of people; pray for one another, encourage congregation-to-congregation relationships and more. The synod is comprised of 101,000 members in 168 congregations, and Arcot has 40,000 members in 250 worshipping communities along India's eastern coast. Arcot is a member of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church in India (UELCI). The ELCA and UELCI are members of the LWF.
"Walking together in Christ is how I see our companion relationship with Arcot Lutheran Church in India. Our covenant is based upon mutual prayer and encouragement so that we may prove to be faithful in God's mission" in the world, said the Rev. Gary M. Wollersheim, bishop, ELCA Northern Illinois Synod. Wollersheim and the Rt. Rev. Gideon Devanesan, bishop of Arcot Lutheran Church and president of the UELCI, signed the covenant Jan. 26. Other signers included Esther Prabhakar, vice president of the synod, Rochelle, Ill.; Art Milton, chair of the synod's global mission subcommittee, the Rev. Raja Socrates, vice president and convener of the Arcot Board for Mission and Evangelism, and Dr. T. Richard Baskaran, Acrot board secretary.
For information contact:
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