LHF Visits the LCMS International Center

Rev. Walter Otten, Chairman of LHF Board, Rev. Dr. Albert Collver,
Rev. James Fandrey, Executive Director LHF, President Harrison, Rev. Bart Day

Today, Rev. James Fandrey, Executive Director of Lutheran Heritage Foundation, and Rev. Walter Otten, Chairman of the Lutheran Heritage Foundation Board, visited the LCMS International Center. They presented President Harrison and some of his staff with a translation of the Book of Concord into Swahili. This project has been in the works for some 15 years and was begun and was a significant focus of Dr. Anssi Simojoki's work in Africa. This is a great accomplishment and will be of potential service to the 100 million Swahili speakers worldwide.

This is a fine example of the synergy between the LCMS and LCMS Recognized Service Organizations (RSO). RSOs according to the Synod's bylaws "fosters the mission and ministry of the church, engages in program activity that is in harmony with the programs of the boards of the Synod, and respects and does not act contrary to the doctrine and practice of the Synod." (LCMS Handbook 2010, Section 6.2.1, page 204) The production of the Book of Concord in Swahili compliments the work of the LCMS, LCMS missionaries, LCMS partner churches and even non-partner churches such as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT). LHF has translated Lutheran materials into nearly 100 languages in nearly 80 countries. Such works have been of great service to missionaries, professors, and partner churches.

Also discussed were ways that LHF and the LCMS could work together in better ways to maximize the resources of both organizations, which are provided as gifts from the Lord's people. In some ways, this is a follow up to the Global Impact Meeting held at the end of June with the LCMS seminaries, LCMS Mission department, and Lutheran Hour Ministries. The RSOs and Auxiliaries of the LCMS are a great blessing to the church and have tremendous potential to maximize our work and Life Together. These sorts of meetings also provide for the opportunity to discuss areas where better coordination and cooperation can occur and how past and future problems can be avoided in our Life Together. We look forward to more meetings such as this in the future. Thank you Jim and Walter for visiting with us.

--Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver, Director of Church Relations