wfn.org | A decade of Lutheranism revival in the Baltic States and Russia

[franki@elca.org]

TALLINN, Estonia/GENEVA, 26 October 2000 (LWI) - The Ninth Regional
Meeting for the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) member churches in
the Baltic States and Russia took place in the Estonian capital,
Tallinn from September 24 to 27, under the theme "Harvest of the Past
10 Years - What about Tomorrow?"

Most of the participants pointed out that a decade after the
restructuring and revival of Lutheran traditions in these countries
began, it was too early to speak about a "harvest".

They however concluded that the churches in the region namely the
Evangelical Lutheran churches in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, the
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria in Russia (ELCIR), and
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States (ELCROS) have
at their disposal the necessary infrastructure and staff for
congregational work.

According to a press release from the meeting, "All five churches
either have access to educational facilities for church workers and
theologians, or have by now set up their own facilities."
Participants unanimously endorsed the continuation of such regional
gatherings.

The meeting organized by the LWF Department for Mission and
Development (DMD) was also attended by representatives of churches,
organizations and agencies of churches from Germany, Finland, Sweden
and the United States that support financially and in human resources
the development, missionary and diaconal activities of the five LWF
member churches.

Since 1990 congregations and churches in the region have received
extensive support from European and international partners for the
development and expansion of their congregational and church
structures, for theological and teacher training, service projects,
and the renovation and construction of churches as well as other
church buildings.

At the Tallinn meeting, Kristin Roaldseth-Moyer, the DMD Secretary
for Human Resources Development conducted a workshop introducing the
various human resources development options provided by the LWF for
its member churches. It was noted at the meeting that human resources
development should be focussed in the respective churches and
countries themselves. Concerning the lack of theological literature
in local languages, attention was drawn to the need for German and
English language courses. In principle, LWF scholarships for studies
abroad should only be sought if the desired education cannot be
completed in the respective country or region. The grant also aims at
supporting the respective LWF member church, not just the individual
beneficiary.

Regional meetings for the LWF member churches in the Baltic States
and Russia were begun ten years ago as coordination meetings for the
various aid projects and support activities for the respective
churches. The first such meeting took place in Copenhagen, Denmark,
in 1990, prior to the Baltic republics regaining independence. The
Lutheran churches in these countries suddenly were faced with the
immense challenges of having to assume responsibility in their
societies and live up to their missionary call. The number of
baptisms and other church rites, for example, multiplied within a
short space of time. Between 60 to 80 percent of these churches'
members were baptized within the past decade

The 30 participants in the Ninth Regional Meeting visited the
Lutheran parish of Haapsalu on the Estonian west coast and the
Lutheran parish of Hageri near Tallinn with its "Farmhouse" youth
camp on September 24. They celebrated the Eucharist with the Estonian
Lutherans in both congregations. The "Farmhouse" youth camp is a
project of the Estonian church, which is supported by the LWF, among
others. The project organizes camps as well as other activities and
can currently accommodate some 40 youth.

Both meetings took place in the education center of the Estonian
Evangelical Lutheran Church, which forms an architectural unit with
the Holy Spirit Church in Tallinn. It houses the theological
institute, the pastoral seminar, and the missionary center of the
Estonian church. The modernization and renovation of the buildings,
considered as the Estonian church's largest project in the past
decade, was completed at the end of 1995. This project was
implemented with support from the LWF as well as from the Finnish and
North Elbian Lutheran partner churches.

(The LWF is a global communion of 131 member churches in 72 countries
representing over 59 million of the world's 63 million Lutherans. Its
highest decision making body is the Assembly, held normally every six
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 (LWI) 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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