ELCA NEWS SERVICE
March 19, 2013
ELCA renews relationships with Malagasy, Malawi Lutherans
13-15-MRC
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America (ELCA) and the Malagasy Lutheran Church signed a partnership
agreement designed to strengthen the relationship "in a new time." The
signing took place March 13 at the Malagasy church offices in
Antananarivo, Madagascar.
The agreement "is a strong foundation built upon the past but we
sign it for the future," said the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding
bishop, during the signing. "It is a document that reflects our
partnership within The Lutheran World Federation and our deep commitment
to growing together in Christ and our witness to God's mission for the
life of the world."
The ELCA and the Malagasy Lutheran Church are members of The
Lutheran World Federation -- a global communion of 143 member churches in
79 countries worldwide. The ELCA is the communion's only member church
from the United States.
"This is an agreement between Malagasy Lutheran Church and the
ELCA (along with) our other partners. We have been studying it for a year
and a half," said the Rev. Rakoto Endor Modeste, president of the
Malagasy church, adding that with Hanson's visit, "we are very glad to
sign (the agreement) together."
In an interview, Modeste said that although there are differences
between the churches, they are "not enough to cut relationship. We can go
together on evangelism, development (and other ministries). We are
working together." Modeste and his spouse plan to attend the 2013 ELCA
Churchwide Assembly in Pittsburgh this summer. Modeste has a doctoral
degree in New Testament from Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.
At the signing, the Rev. Rafael Malpica Padilla, ELCA executive
director for global mission, shared the value of the partnership between
the ELCA and the Malagasy Lutheran Church, particularly when both
denominations are "successful churches."
"Why is it that we need one another? The reason we need one another
is that through these very concrete partnerships, we make God's dream a
reality in our midst. We may be very successful (churches) but, without
you, we are not whole. And that's the reason we engage in this
companionship," said Malpica Padilla.
"The understanding of us needing you has opened up possibilities for
mission engagement, which we did not have 50 years ago. About 50 years
ago, Norwegians and Americans were sending missionaries (to Madagascar).
Today, we in the United States open ourselves to receive your
missionaries. You are helping us . to send missionaries around the
world," said Malpica Padilla, adding that the partnership allows for
mutual support.
The Malagasy Lutheran Church is a "strong and growing church that
is sending missionaries, mostly physicians to Southern Hemisphere
churches in Cameroon, Bangladesh and Liberia, in partnership with the
ELCA," said Hanson. "We have much to learn from the revival movement in
the Malagasy Lutheran Church and its training and consecrating lay people
to serve as shepherds, whose ministry is one of prayer for those who are
sick."
During his visit in Madagascar, Hanson also met with five of the
six young adults assigned in Madagascar under the Young Adults in Global
Mission program of ELCA churchwide ministries.
"This is the first year of placement of young adults in Madagascar.
As I often have said during our visit here, the Malagasy Lutheran Church
is preparing these future leaders for American church and society," said
Hanson.
The Malagasy Lutheran Church has had a relationship with the ELCA
and its predecessor church since 1888. The partnership agreement between
the Malagasy Lutheran Church and ELCA is within the context of the "altar
and pulpit fellowship" relationship shared as members of The Lutheran
World Federation.
The Malagasy Lutheran Church (Fiangonana Loterana Malagasy) dates
back to the arrival of Norwegian missionaries in 1863 and was formally
established as an independent church in 1950, with 1,800 congregations
and 180,000 members. Today the Malagasy Lutheran Church has a membership
of more than 3 million people, which makes it one of the largest Lutheran
churches in the world. The church places a high priority on evangelism,
social ministry and leadership development.
ELCA, Malawi Lutheran church members 'have a lot in common'
Following his March 10-14 visit in Madagascar, Hanson traveled
March 14-17 to Malawi where he, along with his spouse and other ELCA
colleagues, was greeted with a four-hour opening celebration of the visit.
"The fact that we have a lot in common in our faith is enough reason
for us to be united in partnership," said the Rev. Joseph Bvumbwe,
presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malawi, during the
celebration.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malawi is a member of The
Lutheran World Federation. In speaking to the membership, Bvumbwe
said, "We are all equal before God. There is no church big enough that it
cannot receive (another, and) there is no church too small that it cannot
give. We all have the need to give and receive from one another. We are
all The Lutheran World Federation regardless of where we are in the
global village."
In speaking about the relationship with the ELCA, "it is more based
on the issues that unite us than issues that separate us. This means that
we do not have to agree on every issue to be in partnership. The fact
that we have a lot in common in our faith is enough reason for us to be
united in partnership."
"Allow me my brother Bishop (Hanson), dear sisters and brothers in
Christ, to express our appreciation to Bishop (Hanson) and through him to
the ELCA for its generosity in sharing its gifts both financial and
otherwise," said Bvumbwe at the celebration. "The ELCA is well known for
its generosity and giving without conditionality. It is one church that
respects mutuality, encourages and respects the autonomy of each church
young or old, rich or poor."
With 50,000 members, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Malawi is
establishing and strengthening congregations in rural and urban areas
throughout Malawi. Training clergy, lay evangelists and congregational
leaders is a major focus, along with evangelism, health care and hunger
programs and more.
"In the faces of the people of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
Malawi, in their singing and dancing, through hands feeding children and
lives dedicated to reducing malaria we have seen the face of Jesus," said
Hanson. "I give thanks to God for our shared faith, proclamation of the
good news of Jesus Christ and commitment to work together to confront
diseases so often associated with living in poverty."
Following the visit in Malawi, the ELCA presiding bishop is joining
with members from ELCA congregations traveling March 16-25 in southern
Africa. ELCA members are embarking on a "journey of listening and
learning" from Lutheran companion churches working to help contain the
deadly disease of malaria.
The ELCA has partnered with 11 churches across Africa to help
prevent and treat malaria, and to educate communities about the disease.
Through the ELCA Malaria Campaign, ELCA members have committed to raise
$15 million by 2015 to support the efforts of the 11 companion churches.
The funds will help provide mosquito nets, insecticides, medication,
health care, education and more. To date ELCA congregations have raised
$6.5 million to help bring an end to malaria-related deaths.
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United
States, with more than 4 million members in nearly 10,000 congregations
across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church
of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God
through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the
world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church
reformer, Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Melissa Ramirez Cooper
773-380-2956 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.ELCA.org/news
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Living Lutheran: http://www.livinglutheran.com
