The venue for preparing delegates
Pre-Assembly meetings are integral to Assemblies. Core to the preparation of an Assembly, pre-Assemblies are essential for preparing delegates, enabling them to understand issues and concerns of member churches, and as a means of nominating candidates for the LWF Council.
The first morning devotion at the Youth Pre-Assembly in a chapel near Heja Game Lodge. Photo: LWF/JC Valeriano
Pre-Assemblies play an important role in ensuring substantive and enlightened discussions during the Assembly and ultimately in helping the Assembly achieve its objectives. By knowing the rules of procedure, delegates gain confidence to propose motions and amendments, argue, and debate resolutions and issues. Through a contextual approach to the Assembly themes and issues, delegates can see unifying elements in order to arrive at a global analysis and vision.
In addition to helping prepare an Assembly to address critical, controversial and potentially divisive issues, pre-Assemblies ensure constructive dialogue on these matters. Regional pre-Assemblies are tasked with nominating candidates to the Council, thus determining the quality and effectiveness of the next LWF Council.
Pre-Assemblies contribute to the shared outcomes of the Assembly, these being:
- an increased sense of belonging
- far-reaching outcomes beyond the delegates and beyond the Assembly itself
- a strengthened Lutheran identity and ecumenical commitment
- increased visibility and awareness of diaconal work
- more concrete and measurable outcomes for our advocacy and work on peace and justice
- a joyful and transformative Assembly
- a clear mandate with regards to the strategic framework
All share a common program. In the lead-up to Kraków, each will aim to harvest the fruits of regional, youth and women’s work from Windhoek to Kraków; offer contextual reflections on Assembly themes; orient delegates on the agenda, program and procedure; discuss the jarmark/marketplace and consider contributing to it; provide times of worship; produce a slate of nominees for the next LWF Council; inform delegates of any constitutional changes; and offer information on the visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau former German Nazi concentration and extermination camp.
