August 23, 2004

GENEVA - The 2004 meeting of the Council of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) will begin with a festive eucharistic service on Tuesday, August 31 at 16.15 hrs, in Chavannes-de-Bogis near Geneva, Switzerland. The theme of this year's gathering will be "Growing Together - Growing Apart."

Rev. Ekkehard Lagoda, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Geneva, will preach at the opening worship. The Council begins its business sessions from September 1 to 7 in Chavannes-de-Bogis.

The 49-member Council is responsible for the business of the Federation between Assemblies, held every six years. The current Council was elected at the July 2003 LWF Tenth Assembly in Winnipeg, Canada, and held its first meeting there. It consists of the President, the Treasurer, and both lay and ordained persons drawn from among the 136 LWF member churches. Advisors, observers and guests also attend Council meetings.

A special highlight this year will be the election of the LWF General Secretary scheduled for Wednesday, September 1 in the afternoon. It will take place in closed session.

In the course of the September 1-2 plenary sessions, the Council will receive and discuss the Address of the LWF President, Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson; the Report of the LWF General Secretary, Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko; as well as the Report of the Treasurer, Mr Peter Stoll.

The seven Program Committees - Communication Services, Ecumenical Affairs, Finance and Administration, International Affairs and Human Rights, Mission and Development, Theology and Studies, and World Service, will meet with their own agendas from Thursday afternoon, September 2 to Saturday, September 4, and report back to the Council for discussion and action from Sunday afternoon, September 5.

Further major highlights on the Council agenda include priority setting for the Federation's future work; establishment and mandate of a Task Force on Family, Marriage and Human Sexuality; report of the Task Force on Financing Theology and Ecumenism in the LWF; as well as discussion on the new LWF Mission Document. (348 words)

The LWF Office for Communication Services (OCS) will provide an information service in English and German as well as a photo service. Current news will be posted on the LWF Web site under http://www.lutheranworld.org/News/Welcome.EN.html

Lutheran World Information