wfn.org | LWI 2008-055 European Lutheran Church Leaders Meet in Greifswald, Germany

["LWFNews" <LWFNews@lutheranworld.org>]

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European Lutheran Church Leaders Meet in Greifswald, Germany

>Focus on Common Challenges in Church Life 

GREIFSWALD, Germany/GENEVA, 5 September 2008 (LWI) - "Called to
Grow, Lead and Nurture" is the theme of the Lutheran World
Federation (LWF) European Church Leadership Consultation taking
place in mid-September in Greifswald, Germany.

At the invitation of the Evangelical Church of Pomerania
(Pommersche Evangelische Kirche - PEK) and the LWF German
National Committee (GNC), around 90 church leaders from Europe
will discuss the common challenges and difficulties in church
life for the region's LWF member churches. The 11-16 September
meeting is being organized by the Europe desk of the LWF
Department for Mission and Development (DMD) and the host church.

While in Greifswald, the European church leaders hope also to
share experiences on successful models used in response to the
emerging social and religious demands as a result of Europe's
transformation. While globalization and secularization have an
impact on both church life and society, there is also a growing
interest in spirituality. Against this backdrop, participants
will focus primarily on diverse church leadership models and
different forms of mission.

Participants will also have the opportunity to visit several PEK
mission projects and to get a glimpse of church life in
northeastern Germany.

On 14 September bishops of churches in which Pomeranian-born
reformer Johannes Bugenhagen (1485-1558) established the church
order will join in a special service in honor of the Bugenhagen
Jubilee in the St Nikolai Cathedral in Greifswald. After the
service, the GNC/LWF chairperson and presiding bishop of the
United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany (VELKD) Bishop Dr
Johannes Friedrich (Munich) will deliver a celebration address
about Bugenhagen.

"We are looking forward to an inspiring consultation that will
not only charter new territory conceptually, but also bring us
one step closer to communion among Lutheran churches throughout
Europe," said Rev. Dr Eva-Sibylle Vogel-Mfato, LWF/DMD Secretary
for Europe. "The consultation agenda will also include
preparations for the next LWF Assembly to be held in Stuttgart,
Germany, in July 2010," she added. 

In view of the LWF Eleventh Assembly, Oberkirchenrat Norbert
Denecke, GNC/LWF executive secretary, pointed out that
discussions within the national committee placed strong emphasis
on the fact that Greifswald must be seized as an opportunity to
include European churches in the Stuttgart assembly preparations.
Moreover, there will certainly be vivid interest in deeper
discussion with regard to the LWF renewal process. "I would be
personally very happy if the future structure of cooperation at
the European level could be discussed," said Denecke. "Apart from
all the discussions and deliberations, this church leadership
meeting will be above all a great 'family gathering' of leaders
of European churches whose pillars are the church community and,
more importantly, the community united in worship."

PEK Bishop Dr Hans-Juergen Abromeit says he is delighted to
welcome leaders of the region's Lutheran churches to Greifswald:
"When Lutheran Europe meets in Greifswald, this highlights the
growing interest in our region. We are seeking to learn ways in
which our church can grow." (499 words)

>Media information

The European Church Leadership Consultation opening press
conference will take place on Thursday, 11 September 2008 at
14:00 hr in Greifswald’s Alfried Krupp College,
Martin-Luther-Strasse 14, (directly adjacent to St Nikolai
Cathedral). Parking is available at the underground car park at
the Pomeranian State Museum, located 200 m. from the cathedral.

Accreditation information is available in PDF format at the LWF
Web site as follows:

Press invitations:

www.lutheranworld.org/Events/Greifswald_2008/Einladung_Presse_Kirchenleiterkonsultation.pdf

Registration form:

www.lutheranworld.org/Events/Greifswald_2008/Akkreditierung_Presse_Kirchenleiterkonsultation.pdf

Consultation agenda:

www.lutheranworld.org/Events/Greifswald_2008/Agenda_Kirchenleiterkonsultation.pdf

(This press release is issued jointly with the press office of
the LWF German National Committee in Hanover, Germany.)

>*        *          *

(The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the
Lutheran tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund, Sweden, the LWF
currently has 141 member churches in 79 countries all over the
world, with a total membership of over 68.3 million. The LWF acts
on behalf of its member churches in areas of common interest such
as ecumenical and interfaith 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
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