wfn.org | European Lutheran Church Leadership Consultation Takes Place

["Frank Imhoff" <Frank.Imhoff@elca.org>]

European Lutheran Church Leadership Consultation Takes Place in Iceland
Changing Concepts of "Being Church" and its Role in European Society

REYKHOLT, Iceland/GENEVA, 9 June 2005 (LWI) * "Lutheran Churches in
Europe * Set Free to Be a Healing Communion," is the theme of a regional
Lutheran World Federation (LWF) consultation taking place, June 8-13 in
Reykholt, Iceland. Over 90 bishops, superintendents, pastors, and
representatives of LWF member churches from 23 European countries are
participating. 

Rev. Dr Andreas Woehle, Area Secretary for Europe in the LWF Department
for Mission and Development (DMD) said one of the key issues at the LWF
European Church Leadership Consultation is: "What models of leadership
are favorable to a church that has the self-understanding of being
church in communion?" 

The concept of "being church" and its role in European society in
particular will be discussed. The agenda also includes debate on
subjects that could be potentially church dividing, and represents a
significant challenge for the various European churches.

Representatives from the three LWF European sub-regions*Central
Eastern, Central Western and Nordic Countries*started preparations for
the meeting about a year ago. According to Woehle, the aim of the
Iceland event is to "contextualize" what the LWF communion discussed
globally and decided, at the July 2003 Tenth Assembly in Winnipeg,
Canada. The last European Church Leadership Consultation was held in
Meissen, Germany, in 1999.

The LWF Central European region comprises 15 member churches with a
combined membership of over 1.7 million, whereas Central Western Europe
has 22 member churches bringing together more than 16.3 million people.
There are six member churches totaling 20.5 million members in the
Nordic Countries region. (271 words)

(The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran
tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund, Sweden, the LWF currently has 138
member churches in 77 countries all over the world, with a membership of
nearly 66 million. The LWF acts on behalf of its member churches in
areas of common interest such as ecumenical and inter-faith relations,
theology, humanitarian assistance, human rights, communication, and the
various aspects of mission and development work. Its secretariat is
located in Geneva, Switzerland.)

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* * *

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