December 22, 2006

GENEVA – In his New Year Message, the General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko expresses his hope and prayer that 2007 would be dedicated to working for a peaceful world and better future.

In his message addressed to the LWF member churches, National Committees and related and supporting agencies, Noko points out that the path towards peace is a risky one. He underscores the need to overcome pretense and seek to find one another as human beings and as equals "within and beyond our usual comfort zones."

The LWF general secretary notes that while the different religious communities have different religious symbols with respect to New Year celebrations, they are all centered around a strong human desire to renew positive forces in creation and in strengthening the bonds of human relationships.

Referring to the individual and collective new-year resolutions that many people make about working for a better future, Noko reminds Christians, that "we cannot manage on our own such new year resolutions because of human sin, which has alienated us from the very source of our being – God and consequently from one another."

He urges Christians not to lose sight of the fact that they depend entirely on God's grace, which is a gift for all people. "Being a good, transformed human being is a fundamental requirement to being a good religious person," Noko adds.

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

New Year Message from the General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation

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

That the global village in which we live is multi-religious may be self-evident for many people today. However, what might not be so obvious in some parts of the world is the fact that most of the religions that constitute our dynamic contexts observe different calendars with regard to the beginning of a New Year. However, what is important is not when the new year actually begins but rather that the different religious communities represented in the diversity of our global context commemorate the new year. Careful studies of the rituals associated with each of these religious communities demonstrate that New Year celebrations are centered around a strong human desire to renew positive forces in creation and in strengthening the bonds of human relationships. Gifts and messages of goodwill are usually exchanged toward this purpose. Many people either individually or collectively, make personal resolutions about working for a better future. While some of these well-intended goals are achieved, others are not.

As Christians, we make such commitments fully conscious of the fact that we cannot manage on our own such new year resolutions because of human sin, which has alienated us from the very source of our being -God and consequently from one another. We therefore depend entirely on God's grace, manifest in the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This divine grace is a gift not only for Christians but also for all people (John 3:16). When we "slip on the banana peels" of our resolutions, we should never loose sight of the transformative power of God's grace, making us better human beings. Being a good, transformed human being is a fundamental requirement to being a good religious person.

As we all know, the path towards peace is a risky one. It requires that we overcome pretense; meet one another first and foremost as human beings and as equals; and find one another within and beyond our usual comfort zones. It is therefore my sincere hope and prayer that the year 2007 will be an occasion and moment for all of us to work for a peaceful world and better future.

Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko
General Secretary
The Lutheran World Federation
Geneva, 22 December 2006

Lutheran World Information