Archbishop Musa delivers opening sermon at Africa Lutheran Church Leadership Consultation
(LWI) – “We are called to be agents of reconciliation, to heal divisions within and outside the church, and to bear witness to the kingdom of God where peace and justice reign.” This was the message by the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria (LCCN) Archbishop Dr Panti Filibus Musa, in his sermon during the opening worship of the 2024 Africa Lutheran Church Leadership Consultation (ALCLC) in Abuja, Nigeria.
The ALCLC, hosted by the LCCN and themed “We, who are many, are one body” (1 Cor. 10:17), takes place from 18 to 22 September.
The theme is “a powerful reminder” of The Lutheran Federation’s (LWF) “aspiration for unity in diversity,” Musa said. “Our being ‘one body’ is not something we create but a state we are called to uphold through the unity of the Spirit, in one Spirit and one hope.”
“This oneness is sacramental and central to our Lutheran identity,” the Archbishop reminded participants. “We are called to live into this unity by embodying love, peace, and reconciliation in the face of forces that divide and dehumanize.”
Our being ‘one body’ is not something we create but a state we are called to uphold through the unity of the Spirit, in one Spirit and one hope.
LCCN Archbishop Panti Filibus Musa
“Our Lutheran heritage calls us to be agents of hope,” Musa said. In a world “marked by political turmoil, climate crisis, social injustice, and deep divisions […], we are empowered by God’s grace to act with compassion and conviction, addressing not just the symptoms but the root causes of the world’s pain.”
Musa emphasized that “Our unity is both a gift and a responsibility – a call to action,” and LWF member churches “are entrusted with nurturing this unity, not only for our own sake but for God’s mission in the world.”
Taking up the message of the LCCN leader, the LWF Vice-President for Africa, Rev. Dr Yonas Dibisa, President of The Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY), stressed “our interconnectedness as the Lutheran communion” In his opening message to the ALCLC, he called on the African LWF member churches to confidently take their responsibility in the wider Lutheran family.
Ecumenical guests and political dignitaries also attended the opening of the ALCLC.
Appreciation for the service of the former LWF President
The first day of the ALCLC concluded with a presentation of the host church followed by expressions of thanks for the service of Archbishop Musa as LWF President (2017-2023) by each of the three subregions: the Lutheran Communion in Southern Africa (LUCSA), the Lutheran Communion in Central and Eastern Africa (LUCCEA), and the Lutheran Communion in Central and Western Africa (LUCCWA).
The Vice-President for Africa thanked the former LWF President for his steadfast leadership, encouragement, faith, love and commitment during his term. Blessing him, the African church leaders committed to keeping Musa in their prayers in the future.
The Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria (LCCN) has over 2.5 million members in nine dioceses organized in more than 2,000 congregations, 367 districts, and 53 divisions. An archbishop leads the church, and each diocese is led by a bishop.
The LCCN was founded in 1913 by the Danish Branch of the Sudan United Mission (Now Mission Afrika). The church’s headquarters are in Numan in Adamawa State, northeastern Nigeria.
