ELCA NEWS SERVICE

June 20, 2008  

ELCA Presiding Bishop Visits Lutherans in Kenya, Emphasizes Unity
08-094-JB

     NAIROBI, Kenya (ELCA) -- Two leaders of the Lutheran World
Federation (LWF) met with about 20 leaders and staff of the two
Kenyan Lutheran churches here June 18, emphasizing the importance
of unity and cooperation among all Lutherans in the country.
     The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop, Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), in his role as LWF president,
and the Rev. Ishmael Noko, LWF general secretary, were hosted by
the Rev. Zachariah W. Kahuthu, bishop, Kenya Evangelical Lutheran
Church (KELC), and the Rev. Walter E. Obare Omwanza, bishop,
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya (ELCK).  The KELC has about
44,000 members, and the ELCK has about 85,000 members.  The ELCA,
KELC and ELCK are LWF member churches.
     The ELCA and KELC are partner churches.  The ELCA provides
financial support to the KELC for various ministries, including
literacy programs, school tuition support, Christian-Muslim
relations, communication, Christian education, and youth and
leadership development.  ELCA Global Mission personnel work with
the KELC.
     The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) and the ELCK are
partner churches.
     This is an important time to be Lutherans in the world,
Hanson told the pastors.  "We have gifts to bring to the Church
catholic. To be evangelical, confessional, ecumenical and
missional is what it means to be Lutheran," he said.
     The ELCA and LCMS are building networks of global
relationships, and the two churches in Kenya are good examples,
Hanson said.  "It is through the global relationships we have
that we are being transformed," he said.
     Noting that the ELCA and LCMS -- like the two Lutheran
churches here -- have theological differences, Hanson said, "We
have to have honest conversations about our differences but
maintain our diversity."
     Hanson said he met last week with U.S. Sen. Barack Obama
(D-Ill.), the presumed Democratic Party nominee for U.S. President.
In that meeting, Hanson emphasized to Obama that "Lutherans are
on the ground" globally and domestically, providing a variety of
vital ministries.  Hanson said he hoped the U.S. government could
be a strong partner with the churches.  Obama has family roots in
Kenya.
     Hanson also praised U.S. President George W. Bush's
commitment to fund global HIV and AIDS response programs, and his
focus on the related U.N. Millennium Development Goals.
     Christian churches in the Southern Hemisphere have been
growing significantly in recent years, Noko told the Kenyan
church leaders.  With this shift to greater growth in the
Southern versus Northern Hemisphere churches, Noko said, a key
question for churches in the South is how they are planning to
prepare theologians and ecumenists.
     Noko said the LWF needs a united Lutheran church in Kenya.
"Unity is not a choice. It's a gift.  It's not an option," he
said.  Noko also spoke briefly about the 2010 LWF Assembly in
Stuttgart, Germany, with the theme, "Give us today our daily
bread."
     In a discussion with the Kenyan church leaders, one local
pastor raised a concern about international church relief and
development agencies and their work to "develop capacity" --
helping and teaching people to help themselves -- and to do
development work in Africa.  He said he was concerned about how
churches were included in this effort.
     Both Hanson and Noko said they were concerned, too.  Calling
it "a very critical issue" for the LWF and ELCA, Hanson said no
church agency can develop capacity and do development work
without the churches.  Hanson said he is encouraged and believes
that Lutheran World Relief (LWR), Baltimore, is committed to
improving working relationships with churches.  He said he would
discuss the concern with LWR leaders.  LWR is an international
relief and development ministry of the ELCA and LCMS.
     Noko said he sympathized with the concern and said "you
can't put capacity in the society and 'de-capacitize' the
church."
     "It is our challenge," Kahuthu said to the LWF leaders. "It
is a concern that must be dealt with in a careful way."
     While in Kenya, Hanson and Noko visited church offices of
the KELC and ELCK, including the ELCK's new offices under
construction in downtown Nairobi; Springs of Hope Lutheran
Church, Kibera, burned during civil unrest that followed the
disputed presidential election last December; and the Nairobi
International Lutheran Congregation, served by the Rev. Robert
Schmalzle and his wife, Denise, ELCA Global Mission personnel,
and the Rev. Balozi Mruttu.
     The two LWF leaders arrive in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, June
19, for a series of church visits in that country.  Next week
they will be in Arusha, Tanzania, for a regular meeting of the
LWF Council, the organization's governing board.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
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