Voices from the Thirteenth LWF Assembly
Around 1,000 participants are attending the 13 - 19 September LWF Assembly in Kraków, Poland. Lutheran World Information (LWI) gathered some impressions.
Hopes and reflections on the Assembly, Top line, left to right: Carmen García, LWF/WS Colombia and Venezuela Program, and Joren Reichel, Protestant Church in the Netherlands. Bottom line, left to right: Nicole Ridegard, Church of Sweden, and Rev. Elina Bahalon Soren, Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church in India. Photo (1-3): LWF/Jeremiasz Ojrzyński, (4): LWF/Esther Williams
Participants feel the Assembly is excellent and very appropriate
(LWI) - The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Thirteenth Assembly takes place 13-19 September 2023 in Kraków, Poland. Nearly 1,000 participants are gathering under the theme, “One Body, One Spirit, One Hope."
LWI spoke with some of the attendees on their hopes and reflections on the Assembly so far.
Rev. Elina Bahalon Soren, Women’s Secretary, Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church, Dumka, Jharkhand, India. Photo: Esther Williams
Rev. Elina Bahalon Soren, Women’s Secretary, Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church, Dumka, Jharkhand, India
Elina Soren is a woman on a mission. Responsible for women in over 500 congregations that predominantly comprise tribal communities in three states of India (Jharkhand, West Bengal and Assam), Soren feels that the current political situation makes it difficult for her to openly proclaim the good news.
“Many women in rural India face gender biases. They are not fully literate, they are vulnerable to abuse – domestic violence and other forms, and have few livelihood skills,” she said. “I want to support their spiritual growth and generate awareness of their rights.”
Attending the Thirteenth LWF Assembly has provided a wonderful opportunity for her to learn about the communion of churches that can provide support to ensure that the spiritual and physical needs of women in her church are met.
She believes that focus should be given not just to theological education but also to a holistic program. “I want my church to grow and be a witness to others.”
Carmen García, World Service Colombia and Venezuela Program (Venezuela)
First time Assembly participant, Carmen García also participated in the regional LWF Pre-Assembly of the Americas in Bogotá, Colombia. “I think [Assembly] is a great opportunity to reconnect with those people I met there,” she shared.
Carmen García, LWF/WS Colombia and Venezuela Program. Photo: Jeremiasz Ojrzyński
The LWF World Service representative for the regional humanitarian and development work in Colombia and Venezuela believes this visibility at the Assembly is very important. “We are as the [theme] of the Assembly says, One Body, One Spirit, One Hope,” she noted. “We are part of the Lutheran communion worldwide; this is the motivation that unites us.”
“I hope to understand where we are going at the global level. What our challenges and opportunities are and how we will face them at the global level,” she continued. “I hope to better identify what the vision we have for the future is… and how we will connect them with the mission of World Service in Latin America.”
Joren Reichel, Protestant Church in the Netherlands. Photo: Jeremiasz Ojrzyński
Joren Reichel, Protestant Church in the Netherlands
Attending the LWF Youth Pre-Assembly in Wisla Malinka, Poland, prior to the Assembly was an amazing experience for this enthusiastic and passionate youth, particularly since Joren Reichel said, “meeting more than ten Lutheran youth together at a time would be close to impossible back home.” Reichel is a member of the Lutheran Synod of Netherlands, the Protestant Church, the General Synod, an elder of the local congregation in Amsterdam, and President of the church board of Amsterdam.
While he appreciates how much the LWF youth are included in the decision-making process, he feels more can still be done regarding youth participation to ensure equal representation of youth from all regions.
“This needs to be fixed and so the youth have asked for this to be included in their “call to action,” before the next assembly – so that all youth can meaningfully participate,” he said.
Reichel feels the Assembly theme – One Body, One Spirit, One Hope – excellent and very appropriate. “Many in Western Europe suffer from polarization and there are certain voices in society that rather than focus on unity, are bent on further dividing society for political gain,” he said, noting it is a hopeful sign that member churches are able to come together under the Assembly theme, while setting a valuable example for Western Europe.
Reichel hopes to go back with a renewed sense of community and with key points to be included in the national council having learned from the worldwide communion of churches. “A community is needed to make our voices heard; which is not an easy task.” Lutherans are a minority in the Netherlands given that there are about 10,000 Lutherans and over 1.5 million reformed church members.
Nicole Ridegard, seminary student, Member of the Church of Sweden
Also a first time LWF Assembly participant, Nicole Ridegard noted learning about how the LWF communion works has been a remarkable experience.
“We all share one faith though we celebrate our belief in different ways,” she said. “Getting to talk with others in this faith, sharing experiences, and listening to new perspectives and diverse points of view is a whole new experience.”
Nicole Ridegard, seminary student, Member of the Church of Sweden. Photo: Jeremiasz Ojrzyński
Back home in Sweden, Ridegard is aware that the challenges of youth today are varied – many refuse to go to church and are simply disinterested. Some adults share similar opinions that the church has outdated ideas and ancient traditions that are irrelevant and its services are boring, she said.
Ridegard is keen to change this perception: “I want to work with the church to address the needs of the world.”
