Africa: Ethiopia Day 2

Today, the LCMS Delegation, consisting of President Mathew Harrison, Dr Collver, Dr. Carl Rockrohr, and Dr. Debbie Rockrohr, met with EECMY leaders at the Mekane Yesus Seminary and at the EECMY headquarters.



At the Mekane Yesus Seminary,
President Harrison presented to faculty, students, and church leaders on Lutheran identity. The presentation was followed by a Q & A session moderated by Dr. Carl Rockrohr.



After the presentation on Lutheran Identity, President Harrison played the banjo. Mekane Yesus Seminary has a music school on campus. After finishing playing, the banjo found its way into the capable hands of the director of the music school.



Over lunch Dr. Berhanu, the EECMY General Secretary, described the church's persecution under the Marxist Derg Regime (1974-1991), including his own imprisonment. Dr. Berhanu closed by saying, "The Lord always works a blessing through persecution. Through persecution, The Lord purifies his Church."


In a presentation about the EECMY, we learned that the first Lutheran, Peter Heyling, arrived in Ethiopia in 1633 AD. He worked in Gonder between 1634-1652. He practiced medicine and taught Greek and Hebrew to the Ethiopian Orthodox Priests at Gonder. He tried to reform the Ethiopian church by teaching sola Scriptura and by translating the New Testament into Amharic, the vernacular of the ruling class. In 1648, Heyling fell out of favor and was forced to leave Ethiopia. On his return to Germany, he was captured by the Turks and offered the choice of conversion to Islam or death. Peter Heyling chose death rather than to deny Christ, becoming a martyr at the age of 44. Traces of his work remain an influence in the EECMY today.



At the end of the day, both President Wakseyoum of the EECMY and LCMS President Matthew Harrison offered reflections about the day. President Harrison commended the Mekane Yesus church for desiring to remain faithful to the Holy Scriptures and for taking difficult stands on Biblical teaching that were unpopular with her partners. In particular, President Harrison commended the EECMY for breaking fellowship with the ELCA and the CoS over their position of affirming homosexual marriage and clergy. President Harrison also discussed frankly where he believed the EECMY and the LCMS had differences in doctrine and practice. President Wakseyoum thanked President Harrison for his honesty. While holding his Bible in hand, President Wakseyoum stated the EECMY's and the LCMS's commitment to the Holy Scriptures was the primary reason that the two churches should be talking to one another. He stated that fellowship comes through the working of the Holy Spirit. In the mean time both churches should pray and study the Scriptures.



President Harrison signs the EECMY guest book in Dr. Wakseyoum's office.


- Posted by Dr. Albert Collver on 24 January 2014 using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Addis Ababa,Ethiopia

Africa: Ethiopia Introductions

Yesterday, 23 January 2014, President Harrison arrived in Ethiopia for his first visit there. After a several hour travel delay in Nairobi and an aborted landing attempt, we safely arrived in Addis Ababa. We met with the leaders from the Mekane Yesus Seminary and the EECMY. Pictured above: President Wakseyoum gives President Harrison a copy of the seminary's history.



Dr. Belay, President of MYS gave a presentation on the eecmy and the seminary.


We saw a presentation on the history of the seminary and it's future plans.



President Harrison tried his hand at a traditional Ethiopian instrument.



Today we are scheduled to visit with seminary faculty and students.



Drs. Rockrohr and Collver stand outside the guesthouse. Dr. Carl Rockrohr from the LCMS Office of International Mission serves as the Dean of Theology at Mekane Yesus Seminary (MYS).

- Posted by Dr Albert Collver on 24 January 2014using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Addis Ababa,Ethiopia

Africa Trip: Kenya

Dr. Al Collver, Archbishop Walter Obare, and President Harrison in Nairobi Kenya.

On 22 January 2014, President Harrison visited the headquarters of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Kenya (ELCK), in altar and pulpit fellowship with the LCMS and a member of the International Lutheran Council (ILC), to celebrate a decade of LCMS work with the ELCK. President Harrison, then executive director of World Relief and Human Care, visited Kenya in December 2003 at the request of then Bishop Walter Obare.



Former street children from Nakuru now under the care of the ELCK demonstrated gymnastics for the LCMS delegation.



A choir sings gospel songs.



Archbishop Obare and Rev. Shauen Trump discuss how the LCMS and the ELCK can better cooperate.



View of Children's Traffic park on Uhuru Road from the headquarters of the ELCK.

President Harrison, Dr. Collver, and Rev. Shauen Trump spent the day with Archbishop Obare and the bishops and bishops elect from each region of the ELCK. Remembrance of the past and hope for the future occupied the day.

President Harrison and Dr. Collver departed Kenya for Ethiopia.

- Posted on 23 January 2014 by Dr. Albert Collver using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Oloitoktok Road,Nairobi,Kenya

Mexico Lutheran Church (SLM)

Pictured: (back row) Rev. Arthur Rickman, Rev. Daniel McMiller, Rev. Ted Krey, Rev. Dr. Scott Murray, Rev. Dr. Timothy Quill; (front row) Rev. Dr. Lawrence Rast, Maria De Lourdes, President Alvaro Lopez Fajardo, Rev. Samuel Peréz.

Representatives of the Missouri Synod met with representatives from the Lutheran Synod of Mexico (SLM) on 16 December 2013 in Mexico City, Mexico. In the early 1980s, the LCMS largely withdrew work in Mexico. On 29 September 2013, the SLM sent a letter to President Harrison asking the Missouri Synod to resume and increase its partnership. The LCMS responded by sending Rev. Arthur Rickman to meet with church officials.

In the meetings SLM officials explained the challenges faced both in Mexico and in the Synod. Currently, the SLM has three ordained pastors. The SLM expressed a need for theological education leading to ordained pastors. They also expressed a need for increasing Lutheran identity, and the deacons and deaconesses. Dr. Scott Murray, 4th Vice President of the LCMS who attended the discussions, said of the meeting between SLM and the LCMS, "It was delightful to renew relationships that had gone fallow and to encourage a church body that felt orphaned. We discussed concrete action items for the future that were mutually agreed to. Through these opportunities we look forward to rebuilding our relationship as we walk together in the body of Christ."


In cooperation with the Luther Academy, the LCMS sponsored a conference for SLM pastors and laity. Rev. Roberto Bustamante from Concordia Seminary in Buenos Aries, Argentina, was the lecturer. His lectures are focusing on Lutheran identity and the theology of the cross.



The conference was held at the Lutheran Center of Mexico City. The Lutheran Center was built in the 1960s largely through the work of the Missouri Synod. As a result of the agreement, the Missouri Synod has a place at the table to discuss how the facility is used to promote Lutheranism in Mexico and Central America.

We look forward to the future of a closer partnership between the SLM and the Missouri Synod.

The SLM is in altar and pulpit fellowship with the Missouri Synod and a member of the International Lutheran Council (ILC).


- Posted by Dr. Albert Collver, Director of Church Relations and Executive Secretary of the ILC using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Cerrada de la Otra Banda,Álvaro Obregón,Mexico

Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (PCPCU) and the International Lutheran Council (ILC) to Hold Informal International Dialogue

Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (PCPCU) and the International Lutheran Council (ILC) to Hold Informal International Dialogue

Vatican City, Rome, 18 November 2013 – The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (PCPCU) and the International Lutheran Council (ILC), an organization for the purpose of encouraging, strengthening, and promoting confessional Lutheran theology, met to discuss the possibility of extending local and regional informal discussions into an
informal ecumenical dialogue process on the international level. The meeting between the PCPCU and the ILC primarily occurred after several informal discussions between some ILC members and Roman Catholic organizations resulted in positive outcomes, especially those held between the Lutheran Theological Seminary Oberursel (http://www.lthh-oberursel.de) of the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church (SELK) (www.selk.de) and the Johann-Adam-Möhler Institute for Ecumenism (http://www.moehlerinstitut.de/) in Paderborn, Germany. Other informal discussions that contributed to the meeting between the PCPCU and the ILC included those held between The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (http://www.lcms.org) and the Archdiocese of Saint Louis and the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops, and those between Lutheran Church Canada (LCC) (www.lutheranchurch.ca) and representatives of the Canadian Council of Catholic Bishops.

Cardinal Kurt Koch, President of the Dicastery, and MonsignoreDr. Matthias Türk represented the PCPCU. Bishop Hans-Jörg Voigt, Chairman, Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver, Executive Sectary, Rev. Dr. Robert Bugbee, Vice-chairman, and Prof. Dr. Werner Klän, Lutheran Theological Seminary Oberursel, represented the ILC.

The discussion had three primary points: A Presentation of the International Lutheran Council (ILC) including its history and priorities, Ecumenical Relations between ILC members and the Roman Catholic Church, and Future Ecumenical Goals.

After a productive discussion, it was proposed that the local and regional informal discussions may be extended to an informal international dialogue process between the ILC and the Roman Catholic Church. These international series of consultations would be delegated to the ILC executive committee and to the Johann-Adam-Möhler Institute for Ecumenism. The goals of these discussions would be to define more unity between the churches represented by the ILC and the Roman Catholic Church and to offer a deeper understanding of the work already accomplished by the Lutheran – Roman Catholic dialogue on the international and regional level.

Cardinal Koch and Bishop Voigt expressed gratitude for the meeting and looked forward to a deepening of relationships between member churches of the ILC and the Roman Catholic Church.

The ILC and the Johann-Adam-Möhler Institute for Ecumenism after an organizational meeting, propose to hold two meetings a year for the next three years with the results of these discussions to be presented to the PCPCU.

About the International Lutheran Council

The ILC is a worldwide association of established confessional Lutheran church bodies, consisting of 34 member churches, which proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ on the basis of an unconditional commitment to the Holy Scriptures as the inspired and infallible Word of God and to the Lutheran Confessions contained in the Book of Concord as the true and faithful exposition of the Word of God. (http://www.ilc-online.org)

About the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity

The Pontifical Council is entrusted with the promotion of Christian Unity. It carries out this task in liaison with the various departments of the Roman Curia and through ecumenical relationships and theological dialogues with the other Christian Churches and ecclesial Communities on the world wide level. (http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/)


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The SELK Headquarters

After spending time in Wittenberg, Germany, there was opportunity to visit the headquarters of the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church (SELK) in Hannover. SELK is a partner church with the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) and also a member of the International Lutheran Council (ILC).


Hans-Jörg Voigt serves as the SELK bishop. He also serves as the chairman of the International Lutheran Council (ILC).


Bishop Voigt presented me with Preußische Union, lutherisches Bekenntnis und Prägungen, (Prussian Union, Lutheran Confession and Mould), which is the history of the independent Lutheran Church in Germany. It also is a part of the Missouri Synod's history, as it tells the story of Walther's allies in Germany. This common history is part of the bond that connects the LCMS and SELK together as sisters.


Bishop Voigt also shared his book, Lutherisch Abendmahl feiern (Celebrating the Lord's Supper as Lutheran). The book is framed around the theme: Prayers and reflections in preparation for the Holy Communion (Gebete und Betrachtungen zur Vorbereitung auf das heilige Abendmahl). Among the "reflections" provided by the book:

1. What I've always wanted to know about the Lord's Supper. (Was ich schon immer mal vom Abendmahl wissen wollte). This section included questions such as "How long does the body and blood of Christ remain in the bread and wine?", "Do Lutherans believe in the change [of the elements from bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ]?", "Can a person adore / venerate the body and blood of Christ?" and so forth.

2. Christ in me -- Reflections concerning Christ being with me (Christus in mir - Betrachtung über den mitgehenden Christus).

The booklet is very helpful and might be translated for use among ILC members.


It was good to visit the SELK headquarters in Hannover.

- Posted by Dr Albert Collver on 17 November 2013 using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Sprockhofer Straße,Lindwedel,Germany

ILC and LWF Meeting in Wittenberg

MEETING BETWEEN REPRESENTATIVES OF
THE INTERNATIONAL LUTHERAN COUNCIL (ILC) AND
THE LUTHERAN WORLD FEDERATION (LWF)
WITTENBERG, GERMANY, 12 – 13 NOVEMBER 2013


LWF PARTICIPANTS:
​Rev. Martin Junge, the General Secretary of LWF
Rev. Dr. Nicholas Tai, Dean of Lutheran Theological Seminary, Hong Kong
​OKR Norbert Denecke, LWF German National Committee
​Rev. Dr. Kaisamari Hintikka, LWF Assistant General Secretary for Ecumenical Relations
​Rev. Dr. Carlos Bock, the Director of LWF Department for Mission and Development

ILC PARTICIPANTS:
​Bishop Hans-Jörg Voigt, ILC Chairman
​Rev. Dr. Albert Collver, ILC Executive Secretary
​President Rev. James Cerdeñola
​President Rev. Gijsbertus van Hattem

Both the LWF and ILC are honoring the commitment they made for the executive committees of each organization to meet with one another as agreed in the memorandum of understanding from 3 March 2005.


Dr. Collver and General Secretary Rev. Martin Junge with Martin Luther

Both the LWF and ILC thanked one another and appreciated the frank conversation and transparency shown in the discussion. Both agreed that the conversation was valuable and looks forward to the next opportunity to gather. A desire was expressed to meet annually. The LWF will host the next meeting in Geneva on January 14, 2015.


On 14 November 2013, the ILC showed the LWF delegation the "Old Latin School" in Wittenberg. The ILC plans to have a regional office here once construction is completed.


The group saw the building construction and the newly poured concrete foundation.


The Old Latin School was built 18 years after Martin Luther's death. The book How Wittenberg Looked when Luther Lived describes the Old Latin School: "Eighteen years after Luther's death the situation changed insofar as under Mayor Heilinger, the father-in-law of Luther's son Martin, a new boys' school was built in the northwestern corner of the church square, thus replacing the old ossuary. It still exists today as the old high school (now Wattrodt's print shop), not, however, after having undergone many changes. – After this building was finished, the old girls' school was torn down and moved to the former boys' school which was called girls' school from then on. This caused some confusion among researchers who were unaware of this change."


The top photo shows the exposed wood beam from the Old Latin School. The historic records note that Bible verses and sections of the Small Catechism were written on the beams and exterior walls of the school. The lower photo shows what the reconstruction might look like. This photo is near Luther's house, the old Augustinian Monastery.


Pictured here is the Augustinian Monastery. Later this became the house of Martin and Katie Luther.


President James Cerdeñola and Dr Albert Collver enjoy the frosty Wittenberg morning at the old Elbe Gate.


We also visited the Luther Garden near the Castle Church, which is under reconstruction.


The Missouri Synod as well as other ILC partners have trees in the Luther Garden.


The Wittenberg Town Hall.


We visited both the ELCA Wittenberg Office and the LWF Wittenberg Office.


The visit to Wittenberg was very good and productive.

- Posted by Rev. Dr. Albert Collver on 14 November 2013 using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Kirchplatz,Kleinwittenberg,Germany