The regional Pre-Assembly in Africa opened with vibrant worship in Nairobi, Kenya, where delegates from churches across the region are meeting to discuss joys and challenges and prepare together for the Thirteenth LWF Assembly in Krakow, Poland.
9 May 2023, Nairobi, Kenya: Cynthia Mimagu Harases of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia and other congregants sing as opening worship is celebrated. Lutherans from across the continent of Africa are gathered in Nairobi for a regional Africa Pre-Assembly ahead of the Lutheran World Federation’s 13th Assembly, to be held in Krakow, Poland in September 2023. All photos: LWF/Albin Hillert
(LWI) - “Bind us together, Lord, bind us together…” – the words resounded at the Desmond Tutu Conference Centre in Nairobi, Kenya on Tuesday, as Lutherans from LWF member churches in Africa opened their regional Pre-Assembly in prayer and worship.
Rev. Catherine Ngina Musa of the Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church – one of the hosting churches – distributes wine during Holy Communion, at the opening worship.
Hosted by the LWF’s two Kenyan member churches, The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya and the Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Pre-Assembly is set to prepare and set priorities for the region’s participation at the LWF Thirteenth Assembly in Krakow, Poland in September this year.
Bishop Johnes Meliyio of the Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church distributes bread for holy communion.
Bringing together Lutheran expressions from all corners of the African continent, the service saw the attendance of youth, women, and men, lay and ordained – gathered to celebrate life in communion.
Bread and wine is distributed for holy communion during opening worship.
In his sermon, Bishop Johnes Meliyio of the Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church reflected on unity: We may have different origins, different ways of worshipping, but we have unity, believing in one Lord and sharing the same baptism.
In an opening keynote address to the Pre-Assembly, Bishop Naledzani Sikhwari of the Evangelical Lutheran Church In Southern Africa – the first African woman to be elected bishop – spoke on the Assembly theme “One Body, One Spirit, One Hope.” She called on the LWF member churches to be voices of the voiceless, recalling that “justice, peace and reconciliation is what the body of Christ has been put for in this world.”
She also recalled the commandment of Jesus to love God and the neighbor, saying that loving God “cannot be measured, but will be seen when we treat each other with dignity and pursue justice.”
The Africa Pre-Assembly runs from 8 to 12 May and is held in the Desmond Tutu Conference Centre in Nairobi, Kenya.
The Thirteenth Assembly of the Lutheran World Federation takes place 13-19 September 2023 in Krakow, Poland. The theme of the Assembly will be "One Body, One Spirit, One Hope." It will be hosted by the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Poland.
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