Americas: “Do not be afraid!”

Presenting the outcomes of the world café, group moderators said that generally, fears and worries in participants’ churches concerned the polarization of people in churches and societies, churches’ sustainability regarding financial and human resources, and conflict and violence in the region.

However, the subsequent exchange also showed that many fears and worries can be transformed by inspiration and hope. Fear motivates change.

For example, there was the worry about small numbers of young people taking up a church vocation. Still, the hopeful experience was seeing very committed young people engaged in the church.

Also, the fear of a pandemic ruining communion and communities sometimes resulted in innovative ways of creating and maintaining them.

“Our collective moments of worship, respectful conversations and positive interaction with a regional focus serve as a platform for attentive listening, fresh reception of God’s message, and the revitalization of our commitment to God’s mission amidst these challenging times. Furthermore, the churches enrich the global communion with their unique insights and contribution,” said Rev. Dr. Sivin Kit, Director of the LWF Department for Theology, Mission and Justice.

“It is a strong sign of hope in our regions and for our churches realizing that we are more than an accumulation of individual churches. We are a Lutheran communion based on the Gospel and centered in Jesus Christ,” said Rev. Sonia Skupch, Regional Secretary of Latin America and the Caribbean and North America.