wfn.org | LWI Council Press Release No.03/2009 LWF President Urges Commitment to a Sustainable and Strong LWF

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>LWI Council Press Release No. 03/2009  

LWF President Urges Commitment to a Sustainable and Strong LWF
in the Future
"What Shall Be Our Witness?"

GENEVA, 23 October 2009 (LWI)  - In a report highlighting the
rapidly changing contexts of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF)
and its respective member churches, LWF President Bishop Mark S.
Hanson today urged the organization's Council to make decisions
that reflect commitment to "a sustainable and strong LWF going
into the future."

Presenting his oral report to the Council meeting 22-27 October
at Chavannes-de-Bogis near Geneva, Switzerland, Hanson asked the
LWF member church representatives to focus on the legacy of the
governing body's leadership.

The current Council was elected at the 2003 Tenth Assembly in
Winnipeg, Canada, and is due to complete its work at the July
2010 Eleventh Assembly in Stuttgart, Germany.

Hanson is presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America (ELCA).

"What shall be our witness? What story shall we tell?" were
Hanson's opening questions in his report, which noted the
important issues on this year's agenda such as the election of
the next LWF General Secretary, and response to the Renewal
Committee report. 

The LWF president affirmed his commitment "that when we leave
this meeting, we will have clarity and transparency about the
recommendations we are making, including a timetable and process
for developing the language of proposed changes to governing
documents." He stressed the need to be clear about what decisions
would be left to future elected Council members and the Geneva
Secretariat.

>Decreasing Financial Resources

On issues that have impact on the organization’s finances, the
president noted that while the LWF had exercised responsible
fiduciary leadership despite the global economy and serious
changes in the financial resources of member churches, the
organization faces greater challenges currently and in the
future. 

Citing the ELCA's situation, Hanson pointed out that the church
would be facing a significant decrease in its budget from which
support for the LWF comes. "We are experiencing a 30-year trend
in decreased membership and giving to support the work of the
ELCA beyond its local congregations. ... Furthermore, we do not
know the budgetary implications of our recent decision on human
sexuality," he told the Council meeting. 

Hanson challenged the Council to give high priority to the
generation of new resources as part of its responsibility. "Too
often we have left this [task] to the Secretariat or some member
churches rather than exercising leadership ourselves," he said.
He called for a more specific strategy in raising funds for the
LWF Endowment Fund. 

The president urged member churches to address how discussions
and decisions on marriage, family and human sexuality would
impact the life, work and unity of the LWF. He explained that the
ELCA had already taken significant actions on human sexuality in
recent months.

He said "rather than making (issues on) marriage, family and
human sexuality the cause for distancing ourselves from one
another in the LWF, let us resolve to engage in deeper dialogue
on the theological and ethical issues raised in our current
discussions and decisions by member churches." He pointed out
that the LWF task force report on Marriage, Family and Human
Sexuality and the Proposed Guidelines and Processes for
Respectful Dialogue offered helpful insights and suggestions.

>Leadership and Accompaniment

The president called for a renewed commitment to women in
leadership and applauded four member churches that recently voted
to ordain women. "We need to give strong leadership as Council
members affirming and admonishing one another so that gender
justice becomes a growing reality throughout the LWF," he said.

He urged sustained engagement as peacemakers and called for
renewed resolve for accompaniment especially in urgent contexts
such as the Middle East, where the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
Jordan and the Holy Land seeks an end to occupation, cessation of
violence and lasting and just peace.

The president’s report underscored continued commitment to
diaconal work; eco-justice and environmental work; and interfaith
engagement. 

Hanson expressed the hope that the 10th anniversary of the
signing of the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification
this month would be an opportunity for the communion to renew its
"commitment to dialogue so that one day the unity we have with
Christians throughout baptism might be experienced together at
Christ’s table of the Eucharist."

He said he thanked God for the leadership provided by the
General Secretary Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko, and other staff in Geneva
and across the world. "It is truly a joy and honor to serve with
you," he added. (747 words)

*      *      *

Around 75 representatives from LWF member churches and partner
organizations are attending this year’s Council meeting at
Chavannes de Bogis near Geneva, Switzerland. An additional 90
registered participants include invited guests, stewards,
interpreters and translators, media persons and LWF staff. 

The 49-member Council is the LWF’s governing body, meeting
every 12-18 months between Assemblies held every six years. The
current Council was appointed at the July 2003 Tenth Assembly in
Winnipeg, Canada. It comprises the President, Treasurer as well
as lay and ordained persons, representing the different LWF
regions. 

The Council host church, the Federation of Evangelical Lutheran
Churches in Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein has
6,818 members, and has been an LWF member church since 1979. It
is headed by Ms Dagmar Magold.

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>*      *      *