Called to be Church:

reconnect – restore – renew

Welcome to the 7th Partner Church Consultation titled „CALLED TO BE CHURCH: Recon-nect - Restore - Renew“. The Steering Committee studied in-depth over the course of five days various biblical texts and unanimously came to the conclusion that our global Church must face up to the challenge to reconnect, restore and renew itself and its partnerships.
The Church faces numerous challenges. While the Church in the global South continues to grow, the Church in the global North is shrinking and contemplating the way forward. So what is the South doing right and what can the North learn from it?
We live in a world where we need to consider carefully the context of every respective situation. Globalisation increasingly brings to the fore the coexistence of multi-facetted diversity, raising issues that affect us all in one way or another.
We are witnessing a rise in nationalist politics in many countries, which has a restrictive effect on people’s lives and their opportunities for personal growth. How can we in these prevailing circumstances once again be a Church with a prophetic voice?
Shocking details of decades of sexual abuse within the German Church are now coming to light and further revelations about other churches around the world may soon follow. How are we to deal with this situation?  And how can the Church be credible?
Many different voices will have their say at this consultation, reflecting the diversity of our global society. The question is, is this diversity also reflected in the Church? We need to ask ourselves whether we want to be a Church for the people, i.e. a Church acting on behalf of the people, or a Church with the people, i.e. a Church working together with the people towards a common goal? Is the Church a place of diversity or is it non-inclu-sive and unwilling to provide the sense of belonging that many seek?

This consultation shall attempt to fulfil the LWF guidelines regarding equality. Four fe-male delegates and five youth delegates have been nominated to attend the consultation alongside the official church leaders, and all shall speak and be heard on equal terms. All over the world the Church is called upon to be there for the good of all mankind. May the Spirit of God guide us on this path.
On behalf of the Steering Committee and the ELM,

Thomas Wojciechowski
Deputy Director ELM
The Steering Committee: Rev. Dr. Daniel Gemechis (EECMY, Ethiopia), Rev. Lilana Kasper (LUCSA, South Africa), Dr. Mirjam Laaser (ELM), Nkagiseng Rammekwa  (ELCSA Youth League, South Africa), Rev. Dr. Mauro de Souza (IECLB, Brazil), Rev. Dirk Stelter (LKH, Germany), Rev. Thomas Wojciechowski (ELM)

 

“Care, Context and Community” - Code of Conduct

“As people whose faith is rooted in the Gospel we uphold the principle that each human being has received his or her dignity as a gift of God and therefore needs to be respec-ted and protected. This fundamental insight, rooted in our faith, needs to be expressed coherently in the ways we meet and interact in events that bring us together.”
As we come together for the Care, Context and Community gathering on Pastoral Care and Counseling, we share a common commitment to behaviors that will assist us throug-hout our gathering as we strive to get the most out of our time together:
We commit to:

•    approaching one another with a spirit of openness and mutual learning.
•    treating all persons fairly and with respect, courtesy, and dignity, avoiding all forms of discrimination.
•    being sensitive to cultural and social differences and practices.
•    listening carefully and with empathy.
•    avoiding interrupting other speakers.
•    speaking slowly, clearly and at appropriate volume.
•    maintaining confidentiality, i.e., no personal information will be shared outside of the limits of our gathering without expression permission from the participant(s) involved.
•    following boundaries (“no,” even without words) set by others in order to avoid bullying or harassment.
•    refusing any inappropriate gesture or contact, showing that such behavior is not welcome.
•    refraining from hurried or false accusations against others.
•    following the schedule according to the clock, unless objective
•    factors or mutual agreement leads to schedule changes.
•    using our mobile phones during break times (rather than our group time.)

As imperfect human beings, we can expect that not every interaction successfully meet all of the criteria above. Certain violations of our mutual agreement could be resolved in a group setting; when safe to do so, they can also be dealt with person to person. Howe-ver, in order to account for the possibility of more difficult cases, we have asked person x (woman)* and person y (man)* to be available for moderation of any
complaints.

^{* The respective persons will be nominated at the beginning of the conference.}

Thursday, 29/08
Arrival Delegates
Get together with those who have arrived

 

Friday 30/08, Chair of the day: ELM

12:30pm	Lunch
2:00pm	Opening service in the chapel	Emmanuel Kileo
3:00pm	Coffee/Tea break
3:30pm	Introduction into the PCC	Lalissa Gemechis
4:00 - 5:30pm	Open market place: each church represent itself
6:00pm	Dinner
7:00pm	Devotion
7:30pm	Get together without programme



 

Saturday 31/08 Chair of the day: Lilana Kasper

7:30am	Morning prayer in the chapel
8:00am	Breakfast
9:00 - 10:00am	Bible sharing in groups: Matthew 10:1-15
10:00am	Coffee/Tea break
10:30am - 12:30pm	What /who we are (in church)? Panel discussion with various representatives in the church: Kgosi Rammekwa; ELCSA, Siegrid Hoeft, IECLB, Marianne Gorka, LKH, Christian Samraj, TELC	Lilana Kasper
12:30pm	Lunch
2:30pm	Welcome the hosting families and introducing into PCC and the theme	Lilana Kasper
4:00pm	The delegates depart with the hosting families
Programme with the hosting families

 

 

Sunday 01/09 Chair of the day: Christian Samraj

The delegates will join the local church service with the hosting families and will return after lunch
3:00pm	Coffee/Tea break
3:30 – 5:00pm	Sharing the experiences in groups
5:00 – 6:00pm	Summarize the experiences for the plenum
6:00pm	Dinner
7:00pm	Devotion
7:30pm	Round table of the church leaders

 

 

Tuesday 03/09 Chair of the day: Nkagiseng Rammekwa

7:30am	Morning prayer in the chapel
8:00am	Breakfast
8:30 – 1:00pm	Exposure in four groups: Lutheran Community Outreach Foundation, Hillbrow Diakonia Aids Ministry, Soweto Tshwane Leadership Foundation, Pretoria Refugee Project, Pretoria
1:00pm	Lunch
2:30pm	Coffee/Tea break
		Affirming Ministry (IAM), Cape Town
	“What keeps us from being?” – Where is the church on	Stigma HIV+ / Orphan (DAM)
2:30 – 4:00pm	our side and where is the church not on our side? My dream of a church.	Nothing for us without us *
		Shack-dwellers (homeless) Youth
4:00pm – 5:00pm	The Impact of “misleading theology”	Alan Storey
5:00 – 6:00pm	Discussion
6:00pm	Dinner
7.00 – 7:30pm	Devotion/Feedback from the observer	Anton Knuth
7:30pm – 9:00pm	Devotion and bible sharing: John 21: 1-14

 

 

Wednesday 04/09 Chair of the day: Dirk Stelter

7:30am	Morning prayer in the chapel
8:00am	Breakfast
9:00 – 10:00am	Bible sharing in groups: Matthew 25: 31-46
10:00am	Coffee/Tea break
10:30am – 12:30pm	“How do we live it out who we are?” This is how we live who we are. Our way to foster leadership. How do you see unity in diversity in your church and how do you mange diversity?	ELM: Emmanuel Kileo Carrying Church of ELM: Ralf Meister Partner Church of ELM: Ofelia Davila Llimpe
12:30pm	Lunch
2:00 – 6:00pm	Churches are diverse. How can we shape church life in such a way that coexistence is transformed into companionship? How do we as responsible persons in leadership form this process and model a wel- coming culture that goes beyond gender, religion, faith, sexual orientation, etc.? Power is a gift given to churches by God. The Holy Spirit empowers the churches for service. How do we use God’s power to create an environment of human solidarity and unimpaired participation in the face of contemporary challenges and conflicts?	Jabu Mashinini Judy Connors
6:30pm	Departure to another venue
7:00 – 10:00pm	Farewell evening and celebration of 175 year Her- mannsburg Mission

 

 

Thursday 05/09 Chair of the day: Lalissa Gemechi

7:30am	Morning prayer in the chapel
8:00am	Breakfast
9:00 – 10:00am	The message of the PCC	Anton Knuth
10:00am	Coffee/Tea break
10:30am – 12:30pm	Feedback	ELM
12:30pm	Lunch
1:30 – 3:00pm	Closing Service with Holy Communion	LUCSA
3:00pm	Coffee/Tea and Departure

 

 

Saturday 31/08 Bible sharing of the day: Matthew 10:1-15

He called his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to throw them out and to heal every disease and
every sickness. ² Here are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, who is called Peter; and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee; and John his brother; ³ Philip; and Bartholomew; Thomas; and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus; and Thaddaeus; ⁴ Simon the Cananaean; and Judas, who betrayed Jesus. ⁵ Jesus sent these twelve out and commanded them, “Don’t goamong the Gentiles or into a Samaritan city. ⁶ Go instead to the lost sheep, the people of Israel. 7 As you go, make this announcement: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ ⁸ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with skin diseases, and throw out demons. You received without having to pay. Therefore, give without demanding payment. ⁹ Workers deserve to be fed, so don’t gather gold or silver or copper coins for your money belts to take on your trips. ¹⁰ Don’t take a backpack for the road or two shirts or sandals or a walking stick. ¹¹ Whatever city or village you go into, find somebody in it who is worthy and stay there until you go on your way. ¹² When you go into a house, say, ‘Peace!’ ¹³ If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace. But if the house isn’t worthy, take back your blessing. ¹⁴ If anyone refuses to welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet as you leave that house or city. ¹⁵ I assure you that it will be more bearable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on Judgment Day than it will be for that city.

Monday 02/09 Bible sharing of the day: Isaiah 65:17-25

Look! I’m creating a new heaven and a new earth: past events won’t be remembered; they won’t come to mind. ¹⁸ Be glad and rejoice forever in what I’m creating, because I’m creating Jerusalem as a joy and her people as a source of gladness. ¹⁹ I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad about my people. No one will ever hear the sound of weeping or crying in it again. ²⁰ No more will babies live only a few days, or the old fail to live out their days. The one who dies at a hundred will be like a young person, and the one falling short of a hundred will seem cursed. ²¹ They will build houses and live in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. ²² They won’t build for others to live in, nor plant for others to eat. Like the days of a tree will be the days of my people; my chosen will make full use of their handiwork. ²³ They won’t labor in vain, nor bear children to a world of horrors, because they will be people blessed by the LORD, they along with their descendants. ²⁴ Before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will hear. ²⁵ Wolf and lamb will graze together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, but the snake - its food will be dust. They won’t hurt or destroy at any place on my holy mountain, says the LORD.

 

Tuesday 03/09 Bible sharing of the day: John 21: 1-14

Later, Jesus himself appeared again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. This is how it happened: ² Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two other disciples were together. ³ Simon Peter told them, “I’m going fishing.” They said, “We’ll go with you.” They set out in a boat, but throughout the night they caught nothing. ⁴ Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples didn’t realize it was Jesus. ⁵ Jesus called to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” They answered him, “No.” ⁶ He said, “Cast your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” So they did, and there were so many fish that they couldn’t haul in the net. ⁷ Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard it was the Lord, he wrapped his coat around himself (for he was naked) and jumped into the water. ⁸ The other disciples followed in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they weren’t far from shore, only about one hundred yards. ⁹ When they landed, they saw a fire there, with fish on it, and some bread. ¹⁰ Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you’ve just caught.” ¹¹ Simon Peter got up and pulled the net to shore. It was full of large fish, one hundred fiftythree of them. Yet the net hadn’t torn, even with so many fish. ¹² Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples could bring themselves to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. ¹³ Jesus came, took the bread, and gave it to them. He did the same with the fish. ¹⁴ This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

Wednesday 04/09 Bible sharing of the day: Matthew 25: 31-46

³¹ “Now when the Human One comes in his majesty and all his angels are with him, he will sit on his majestic throne. ³² All the nations will be gathered in front of him. He will separate them from each other, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the
goats. ³³ He will put the sheep on his right side. But the goats he will put on his left. ³⁴ “Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who will receive good things from my Father. Inherit the kingdom that was prepared for you before the world began. ³⁵ I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. ³⁶ I was naked and you gave me clothes to wear. I was sick and you took care of me. I was in prison and you visited me.’ ³⁷ “Then those who are righteous will reply to him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? ³⁸ When did we see you as a stranger and welcome you, or naked and give you clothes to wear? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ ⁴⁰ “Then the king will reply to them, ‘I assure you that when you have done it for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you have done it for me.’ ⁴¹ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Get away from me, you who will receive terrible things. Go into the unending fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴² I was hungry and you didn’t give me food to eat. I was thirsty and you didn’t give me anything to drink. ⁴³ I was a stranger and you didn’t welcome me. I was naked and you didn’t give me clothes to wear. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ ⁴⁴ “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick
or in prison and didn’t do anything to help you?’ ⁴⁵ Then he will answer, ‘I assure you that when you haven’t done it for one of the least of these, you haven’t done it for me.’ ⁴⁶ And they will go away into eternal punishment. But the righteous ones will go into eternal life.”

 

Thursday 05/09 Morning Prayer: Matthew 17: 1-20 (21)

Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. ² And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became bright as light. ³ Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. ⁴ Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, will set up three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” ⁵ While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” ⁶ when the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. ⁷ But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” ⁸ And when they raised their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone. ⁹ As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” ¹⁰ And the disciples asked him, “Why, then, do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” ¹¹ He replied, “Elijah is indeed coming and will restore all things, ¹² but I tell you that Elijah has alrea- dy come, and they did not recognize him, but they did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man is about to suffer at their hands.” ¹³ Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them about John the Baptist. ¹⁴ When they came to the crowd, a man came to him, knelt before him, ¹⁵ and said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has epilepsy and suffers terribly; he often falls into the fire and often into the water. ¹⁶ And I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him.” ¹⁷ Jesus answered, “You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him here to me.” ¹⁸ And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was cured from that moment. ¹⁹ Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” ²⁰ He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”