Embodying hope, making the difference

Around 80 church leaders from the three LWF European regions (Central Western Europe, Central Eastern Europe, and the Nordic Region) will meet in Riga, Latvia, for the European Church Leadership Consultation. The gathering is organized in cooperation with two LWF member churches: the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia and the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church Worldwide.

The theme of the consultation is “Born again into a living hope” (1 Pt 1:3) – Embodying hope, making the difference.”

LWF General Secretary Rev. Dr Anne Burghardt will address the theme Sharing Hope. Empowering Churches. Impacting the World, highlighting the ongoing witness of the LWF. Participants will also hear from Latvian professor Aivita Putniņa on the socio-anthropological perspective of hope, and from LWF Assistant General Secretary for Ecumenical Relations Prof. Dirk Lange, who will reflect on ‘What does it mean to be a confessing church today’ in light of the upcoming 500th anniversary of the Augsburg Confession.

The consultation will also provide participants with opportunities to learn more about the life and witness of Lutheran churches in Latvia. Participating in shared worship, including services with Holy Communion, as well as morning and evening prayers, will further strengthen the European Lutheran communion.