wfn.org | European Lutheran church leaders meet in Meissen

[FRANK_IMHOFF.parti@ecunet.org (FRANK IMHOFF)]

Conference to focus on continent's mission challenges

GENEVA, 16 September 1999 (lwi) - Under the theme, "The Gospel at the
Dawn of the Third Millennium", Lutheran church leaders in Europe will
convene in Meissen, Germany to reflect on the challenges of mission
outreach for the churches on the continent.

Sponsored by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and hosted by the
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Saxony, the conference will take place at
the 'Evangelische Akademie' in Meissen, from 26 to 30 September 1999. It
brings together some 60 participants who include presiding bishops and
presidents drawn from the continent's 42 LWF member churches. Among the
group are female members of the LWF Council and the LWF Network for
women in Europe.

Coming ten years after the collapse of the Socialist system and the
opening of Eastern Europe, the meeting also aims to assess the churches'
development in the region, especially in the former Eastern Europe, and
shape visions for the Lutheran churches at the beginning of the Third
Millennium.

After the opening address, which will be delivered by the LWF General
Secretary Dr. Ishmael Noko, Bishop Volker Kress (Dresden), will present
the keynote paper based on the subject, "The Future of the Church and
the Church of the Future".

Sub-themes in the following days include "The Language of the Future",
which will be presented by a young theologian from Norway, Dr. Paul O.
Brunstad. Other subjects for discussion are, "Acting in the Future",
especially with regard to developments within the European Union and
"Common European House". Rev. Marc Lenders from Brussels will introduce
a panel discussion.

Superintendent Luise Muller of Salzburg, Austria, will be the preacher
during the opening worship service to be held in the Cathedral of
Meissen on 26 September at 19.30 hrs. The LWF President Bishop Christian
Krause of Brunswick will deliver the closing meditation in the Crypt of
the Frauenkirche (under recontruction) in Dresden. Bible studies at the
conference will be led by Dr. Wilson Niwagila from Tanzania.

A press conference is scheduled for 27 September at 13.30 hrs in the
Evangelical Academy in Meissen (St. Afra Klosterhof, Freiheit 16).

The LWF church leaders' conference is held every three years. The last
such meeting on the continent took place in Budapest, Hungary in 1996.

(The LWF is a global communion of 128 member churches in 70 countries
representing 58 million of the world's 61.5 million Lutherans. Its
highest decision making body is the Assembly, held every six or seven
years. Between Assemblies, the LWF is governed by a 49-member Council
which meets annually, and its Executive Committee. The LWF secretariat
is located in Geneva, Switzerland.)

[Lutheran World Information is the information service of the Lutheran
World Federation (LWF). 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.]

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Lutheran World Information
Assistant Editor, English: Pauline Mumia
E-mail: pmu@lutheranworld.org
http://www.lutheranworld.org/