Bringing together 80 church leaders from Nordic, western and central-eastern European countries, participants will discuss key themes of the global Lutheran communion. Inspired by the Reformation anniversary theme “Liberated by God’s grace”, participants will share their churches’ stories of liberation and engagement to a world in need of justice and peace. Participants will plan for a vibrant assembly in 2017. The communion will be deepened by learning from the rich theological and spiritual heritage of the Nordic region, the two host churches and daily prayer life with local communities.

Church leaders will gain understanding of LWF’s work and deepen their motivation to participate more broadly. They will incorporate LWF themes into their program work, and be more involved in regional and cross-regional communion expression. Participants will decide the time and place of the European pre-assembly and other regional pre-meetings.

Youth participation as a cross-cutting element will be focal to the consultation, which will enhance ownership among church leadership of the Global Young Reformers Network. At an inter-generational dialogue on LWF’s climate justice commitment, agreements will be taken on follow-up church action. The Global Young Reformers Network will focus on climate justice and be combined with the spiritual tradition of pilgrimage, nourished again as part of the Norwegian hosts’ commitment for creation.