LWF Council Meeting 2002
Wittenberg, Germany, 10-17 September 2002
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Participants in the 2002 LWF Council meeting in Wittenberg, Germany, included 103 representatives from LWF member churches, and an additional 140, among them LWF staff, interpreters, stewards, the press and invited guests. (Please click for larger photo.) © LWF/D. Zimmermann |
LWF Council Meeting Closes with Call for Peace Efforts to Avert Conflict in Iraq
The 2002 meeting of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Council ended on Thursday, September 17, in Wittenberg, Germany, with a call for peace efforts to avert conflict in Iraq, as well as far-reaching decisions on the work of the 136-member global communion of Lutheran churches. This year's was the last full meeting of the 49-member governing body before it completes its work at the LWF Tenth Assembly, which will take place 21-31 July 2003 in Winnipeg, Canada. The Tenth Assembly theme is "For the Healing of the World."
Johannes Rau, President of the Federal Republic of Germany: "Martin Luther would be astonished if he looked around and saw the countries in which his name bears meaning." |
The September 10-17 meeting, preceded by a day's meeting of the Executive Committee brought together over 200 participants including representatives from member churches, LWF staff, interpreters, stewards, the press and invited guests. The main presentations included the Address of LWF President, Bishop emeritus Dr. Christian Krause and Reports of the General Secretary, Rev. Dr. Ishmael Noko and Treasurer, Ms. Inger J. Wremer.
On Tuesday, September 10, the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Johannes Rau paid the Council a visit and addressed participants. Another invited guest, the Saxony-Anhalt culture minister, Jan-Hendrik Olbertz also greeted the gathering.
"September 11 is a day for prayer, a day of memory," Mark S. Hanson, Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America said. © LWF |
On Wednesday, September 11, Council members adopted a Statement on the First anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks against the United States of America. Other Council actions in the following days focussed on the LWF's work through its Departments for Theology and Studies; Mission and Development; World Service; and Offices for Ecumenical Affairs; International Affairs and Human Rights; Communication; Finance and Administration, as well as on the LWF Tenth Assembly. The Council also accepted new Council members, and voted in favor of full LWF membership for four churches.
Please click for all LWI Press Releases on the 2002 Council meeting.
Photographs from the Council meeting can be ordered at LWF-Photo Service.
Click here for further information about the LWF Council.
Information on Lutherstadt Wittenberg can be found at: www.wittenberg.de/en
