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The Lutheran World Federation
Lutheran World Information |
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| 17.09.2002 |
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| Press Release No. 16 - Four New Members Increase LWF Churches to 136 in 76 Countries |
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LWF Council Meeting, Wittenberg, Germany, 10-17 September 2002
LWF Council Welcomes Costa Rican, Indonesian, Rwandan and Zambian Churches
WITTENBERG, Germany/GENEVA, 17 September 2002 (LWI) – The Council of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) has welcomed four new churches into the LWF membership, raising the number of churches in the worldwide communion of Lutheran churches from *132 to 136.
*The Council also accepted, but with regret, the withdrawal of the Lutheran Church of the Republic of China (Taiwan). In February 2002, the 1,200-member church informed the LWF of the decision to drop its membership, saying it disagreed with LWF’s affirmation of the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, signed by the LWF and Roman Catholic Church on 31 October 1999.
At its 10-17 September 2002 meeting in Wittenberg, Germany, the Council received the report of the Standing Committee for Membership and accorded full membership to the 7,600-member Lutheran Church of Rwanda (LCR), Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zambia (ELC - Zambia), with 3,394 members, Gereja Angowuloa Masehi Indonesia Nias (Gereja AMIN) – Christian Communion of Indonesia Church in Nias (AMIN) - with 17,424 members and Iglesia Luterana Costarricense (ILCO) – Lutheran Costarican Church with 1,137 members. The additional 28,000 increase the LWF membership to 61,732,832.
The LCR has 40 congregations served by 15 pastors, 40 evangelists and other church workers. It has four child care centers. The LCR was begun by Rwandan Lutheran members mainly returning from Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya and Tanzania, after the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. Since then, the church has expanded through new members within the country, and is well established in five regions with plans for expansion. Its activities and programs include mission and evangelization, training of church workers, peace and reconciliation programs. The LCR is a member of the Lutheran Communion in Central and Eastern Africa and of the Protestant Council of Churches in Rwanda.
The ELC - Zambia has its beginnings in Malawi and Zambia. It started in 1983, and was formally registered with the government in 1986. The church was in close contact with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania, and its former and present presidents have undergone training there. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa, which has ordained ELC – Zambia pastors has been instrumental in developing the church’s constitution. The Zambian church is a member of the Lutheran Communion of Churches in Southern Africa, and of the Christian Council of Zambia.
The Christian Communion of Indonesia Church in Nias (Gereja AMIN) has been in existence since 1865 when the missionaries brought the gospel to the Nias region, whose inhabitants were mainly peasant farmers. Although the church was formally established in 1946, it was not until 1972 that a structural organization including ministerial programs, vision and mission took shape. The church’s current activities include community building and awareness raising about its ministry, human resources development for the church’s ordained and lay workers, including men, women and youth, and working at improving the church’s financial situation, so that it can be a self-supporting church. Gereja AMIN is a member of the LWF National Committee in Indonesia which now includes 11 churches, Communion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI) and the Wuppertal, Germany-based United Evangelical Mission.
The ILCO has been in contact with the LWF since the church was founded in 1988. At its inception by former Lutherans and Christians from other traditions, the intention was to promote popular pastoral care with an integral ministry of word, sacrament and service. This emphasis is upheld to date and there is increasing participation of urban communities, Indians, peasants and Nicaraguan immigrants.
The ILCO programs include focus on strengthening the Lutheran communities and support toward the rural and urban communities, offering training to equip the locals with skills to prepare for and respond to and manage emergencies. Also important, is accompanying the social-economic process of reconstruction. The church has close relations with LWF member churches in Sweden, Bavaria (Germany) the United States and Brazil. ILCO belongs to the Communion of Lutheran Churches in Central America, Latin America Council of Churches and Ecumenical Council of Churches of Costa Rica.
The Council also accepted, but with regret, the withdrawal of LWF membership by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of China (Taiwan). In February 2002, the 1,200-member church informed the LWF of the decision to drop its membership, saying it disagreed with LWF’s affirmation of the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, signed by the LWF and Roman Catholic Church on 31 October 1999.
There are about 240 participants in the September 10-17 Council meeting, including 103 representatives from LWF member churches, and an additional 140 including LWF staff, interpreters, stewards, press and invited guests.
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