December 22, 2005

GENEVA – In his 2006 New Year Message, the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) General Secretary, Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko calls for reflection on the spirit of giving and what it means to be a communion of churches seeking to serve Christ by serving each other especially the poor and vulnerable.

The LWF general secretary counters the assumption that "bigger" and "more" signal progress by citing the environmental danger of global warming, and the growing social gap between the rich and the poor, threatening both the health and stability of communities. "God has blessed us with enough material resources and spiritual insights for all. We are called again to reflect on how we share these blessings with one another," he says.

Turning to the recently concluded World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong, China, he likens the debates and negotiations on international trade there to the global struggles to find a balance between the "economic value of pure unconstrained competition and the social and ethical necessity of solidarity."

Noko evokes the spirit of the New Year and Season of Epiphany, and invites LWF member churches, national committees, and related and supporting agencies to seek out news ways to effectively serve as God's faithful witnesses to the gospel, bearing Christ's mission on earth. (237 words)

The full text of the New Year Message from the LWF General Secretary follows:

To: LWF Member Churches LWF National Committees Related and supporting agencies

New Year Message from the LWF General Secretary

"He is called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." This is the one of whom the prophet spoke and who the three magi were seeking on their journey toward that bright star. They journeyed with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh for that tiny baby, our Savior. As we move into the New Year and the Season of Epiphany, we too find ourselves on a similar journey, each bearing our own gifts. We recall our achievements and failures, joys and sorrows, and seek new ways to effectively serve as God's faithful witnesses to the gospel, bearing Christ's mission on earth.

One of the recent stops on our journey was in the island city of Hong Kong, China, where government representatives from around the world met to discuss and resolve issues related to international trade. The struggles in that meeting were reflective of the world's own struggles to find a balance between the economic value of pure and unconstrained competition, and the social and ethical necessity of solidarity.

The false presumptions that "bigger" and "more" are signs of development has led us to the environmental precipice of global warming, and similarly to the social chasm of unprecedented inequality between rich and poor. This threatens both the health and stability of our communities. God has blessed us with enough material resources and spiritual insights for all. We are called again to reflect on how we share these blessings with one another.

As we continue our journey in 2006, we seek to serve the Christ toward whom we travel by serving each other, especially the poor and most vulnerable. During this Season of Epiphany, I invite us all, sisters and brothers in Christ, to reflect upon the spirit of giving and upon what it means to be a communion of churches. May our lives and service be true expressions of our desire to follow Christ's example.

In Christ,
Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko
General Secretary
The Lutheran World Federation

Geneva
21 December 2005

Lutheran World Information