Worship in an Indonesian Lutheran congregation. Photo: HKBP/Fernando Sihotang
“Like a Tree Planted by Streams of Water”
(LWI) – The Council of The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) will hold its annual meeting from 12-17 June at the Tiara Conference Center in Medan, Indonesia, focusing on several agenda items including the theme of the 2017 Assembly and the self-understanding of the communion.
The LWF governing body meets under the theme “Like a Tree Planted by Streams of Water” (Psalm 1:3). Participants include the 49 Council members representing LWF member churches worldwide, advisers and invited guests. The meeting will be hosted by the LWF National Committee in Indonesia, which represents the 12 Indonesian member churches.
The address of the LWF President Bishop Dr Munib A Younan, head of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, will elaborate the implications of the Council theme for the global communion of churches.
The report of LWF General Secretary Rev. Martin Junge will provide an overview of the work carried out by the LWF Communion Office since the last Council meeting which took place in June 2013 in Geneva. The chairperson of the LWF Committee for Finance, Ms Christina Jackson-Skelton, will outline the LWF’s financial performance for the past year and report on projections for the upcoming years.
Keynote Panel on Interfaith Issues
The Council will decide on the theme of the Twelfth Assembly in 2017, which takes place in Windhoek, Namibia. A report will also be presented on the meeting of the working group for the Self-Understanding of the Lutheran Communion.
A keynote panel on citizenship and education will discuss the role of religious communities in the changing Indonesian society. The keynote address will be delivered by Indonesian human rights advocate Kamala Chandrakirana, with Prof. Dr Katimin, who teaches Islamic theology at the State Islamic Institute in North Sumatra, and Rev. Bonar H. Lumbantobing of the Protestant Christian Batak Church (HKBP) responding. The session has been organized as an interfaith panel, mindful of the fact that interfaith relations are a very important dimension of the context in which LWF member churches witness in Indonesia.
On Friday 13 June, Council members and guests will participate in the Fasting for the Climate campaign. By fasting at lunch time the LWF supports the global campaign initiated by youth delegates at the 19th Conference of the Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 19), expressing solidarity with the poor and vulnerable affected by extreme weather events.
The council meeting includes worship life, starting with the opening service on 12 June at 5 p. m. at the HKBP Jl. Sudirman church, daily morning Bible studies and evening prayers as well as Sunday worship in the different Indonesian member church congregations.
The LWF Council is the organization’s governing body. It includes 49 ordained and lay men, women and youth delegates under the leadership of the LWF president, and meets annually.
