Writen by
sadataley
10:18 AM
-
0
Comments
Young African Lutherans Urge Leaders to Note Move to Other Churches
Theology student Ms Helvi Muremi (Namibia) presents the youth message to the ALCLC.
Unemployment “Has Become Another Virus”
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa/GENEVA, 14 April 2011 (LWI) – Young African Lutherans have called on leaders of The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) member churches on the continent to take note of youth movement to other denominations.
“Youth add a fullness and completeness to the church” and churches should ensure they have space to utilize their gifts including leadership and decision making, said Ms Helvi Muremi, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia, when she presented a statement prepared by young adult delegates in a regional LWF meeting.
Muremi, a student at Paulinum Theological Seminary in Windhoek, Namibia, said the youth representatives at the 4-8 April LWF African Lutheran Church Leadership Consultation (ALCLC) wanted to present their concerns to the older leaders.
“We think if they are addressed by our leaders in the various sub-regions, it will bring vibrant youths to the activities of our churches in Africa,” she said.
Hosted by the Lutheran Communion in Southern Africa (LUCSA), the ALCLC brought together 60 participants including heads of churches also from the Lutheran Communion in Central and Eastern Africa (LUCCEA) and the Lutheran Communion in Central and Western Africa (LUCCWA)—the three sub-regions under which the Lutheran communion in Africa coordinates its work.
They pointed out that unemployment “has become another virus in most of the African sub-regions of the LWF.” Most of those affected were the young people, who due to lack of both job opportunities and financial support to advance their studies “are now moving to other denominations seeking greener pastures. Our leaders please take note and act promptly.”
Ms Uduak Etim Ikang from the Lutheran Church of Nigeria affirmed the need for those in leadership to act on the young people’s concerns. “The Church can be an industry. Some of our church members should use their industries to ensure that our youth have something to do.”
The youth group said the role of young people should be clearly defined through the strategic plan being drawn up by the LWF with its member churches, in order to allow young people to fully participate in decision-making bodies and processes.
In his response to the youth message, Bishop Dr Paul Kofi Fynn, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana, said, “This is a dynamite statement. It came in a small package, but it is potent.”
Fynn said he was pleased to note that youth had also said in their statement “that all Lutheran young people in Africa should not be part of the leadership conflicts, power struggles, external forces, repression of staff members (conflict managements), nepotism, and tribalism .
He commended the LWF for its commitment to achieving gender balance including youth participation.
Mr Muloko Kongolo, LUCCEA administrative secretary, said he was concerned about the inability to get the youth together in the sub-region. He appealed for financial support to enable young people build relationships and work together.
Addressing the consultation earlier, LWF General Secretary Rev. Martin Junge spoke of the particular importance of the participation of both women and young people in church life. “It is not just an action of compassion, a token, to involve youth and women. It is a matter of justice, and it is about getting the set of questions and perspectives for the churches to continue projecting themselves into the future,” he emphasized.
He recalled his visit in March to Indonesia during which young people asked him questions and some particularly difficult ones about “language used in worship and music, but also about the content of sermons and overall of church life.”
No comments
Post a Comment