Europe
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The church today and tomorrow © LWF/M. Keller |
The LWF communion in Europe includes 43 member churches with a combined membership of 37.2 million as of February 2010. Eleven churches have a membership over 500,000 and 16 churches have fewer than 25,000 members.
The Europe area desk (based in Geneva) serves the three LWF regions in Europe: Central Western Europe, Central Eastern Europe and the Nordic Countries.
The work of the area desk supports the holistic ministries of member churches with programs and projects that respond to particular concerns of church life in Europe and specific priorities identified by the member churches and the regions.
Mission and Diakonia
A welcoming church © LWF/E.-S. Vogel-Mfato |
In the midst of major changes and trends in Europe – expansion of the European Union; widespread migration seeking better economic conditions; increasing cultural and religious pluralism; pervasive secularization – all churches hear the call to mission and service in their contexts.
The churches are challenged to be hospitable with open doors and hearts for the concerns of citizens, while the many changes are opening up new opportunities for sharing visions, strategies and resources.
The Europe area desk accompanies and supports the churches in their reflection and response.
Strengthening Communion and Communication
Developing spiritual communion © LWF/M. Keller |
Church leadership consultations, workshops and various meetings regularly include women and youth leaders as well as the heads of churches. As they seek to be an inclusive communion within Europe, and to strengthen the global Lutheran communion, the partnership between and among member churches in Europe has developed to express equality and spiritual communion, even while large differences remain.
The Europe area desk works closely with the churches and those in leadership to strengthen communication and relationships, and to assist with mediation and counseling when conflicts arise within churches and between churches.
Please click for the Message from the 2005 European Church Leadership Consultation. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader) 
Projects for Education and Mission
Focus on the need for education |
The Europe desk encourages and facilitates projects within individual churches, focusing on many needs for education and mission. Youth gatherings stimulate missionary activities and build networks for youth leadership, while outreach to students from abroad, with differing ethnic backgrounds, promotes intercultural and interfaith learning and community building.
Efforts to strengthen communication ministries aim for wider sharing of Christian and especially Lutheran values, teachings and traditions, within the churches and also through public media in society.
Other projects focus on lay and professional theological education for witness in post-communist contexts. In some churches, the urgent need is for maintenance of buildings for missionary and diaconal purposes.
For further information please contact:
Rev. Dr Eva-Sibylle Vogel-Mfato, Area Secretary for Europe
Ms Janis Cummings, Administrative Assistant
