LCC welcomes international guests to 2017 convention

LCC President Robert Bugbee (third from right) is joined by leaders representing churches in Peru, Nicaragua, Germany, the United States, and Norway.

KITCHENER, Ontario – During its 2017 synodical convention, Lutheran Church–Canada welcomed guests from several international partner churches.

On October 14, the convention received greetings from Rev. Dr. Hans-Jörg Voigt, Chairman of the International Lutheran Council (ILC) and Bishop of LCC’s partner church in Germany, the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church (SELK). “It is my prayer for Lutheran Church–Canada that our Heavenly Father will always look kindly on your church,” he said, “and that He will answer our prayers for the well-being and extension of confessional Lutheranism worldwide.” Bishop Voigt brought, as a symbol of the unity between the two churches, a copy of the SELK’s worship agenda as a gift. “We are one Church in a spiritual and theological sense, by celebrating the Lord’s Supper, by celebrating worship,” he explained.

Rev. Dr. Curtis Leins, Presiding Pastor of The American Association of Lutheran Churches (a member church of the ILC), likewise brought greetings on October 15.

A day later, Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver brought greetings on behalf of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod’s President Matthew Harrison and the people of LCMS. Dr. Collver also serves as Executive Secretary of the ILC. “Although the LCMS and LCC share a tremendous history together, it is the friendships that develop between our churches which help facilitate joint work, cooperation, and future opportunities,” he noted. “Know that Lutheran churches around the world pray for you because of your confession. Your neighbors to the south, The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod prays for you, as do the churches of the International Lutheran Council.”

President Milton Winston Tejeda Huatuco of the Lutheran Church in Peru (a member church of the ILC) also brought greetings on October 15, introducing LCC to the work of the Peruvian church. Roberto José Zepeda, longtime office manager of LCC’s Mission Centre in Chinandega, Nicaragua, also brought greetings, thanking Canadians for their continued support of the Nicaraguan church.  Finally, Bishop Torkild Masvie of the Lutheran Church of Norway (a member church of the ILC) also brought greetings.

The final day of convention, October 16, saw greetings from the Lutheran Ministerium and Synod-USA (a member church of the ILC), brought by Rev. Mark Dankof, representing Bishop Ralph Speers. The convention also received written greetings from several other churches, including the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil, Japan Lutheran Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Argentina, the Free Evangelical-Lutheran Synod in South Africa, the Lutheran Church of Australia, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria in Russia. The text of these greetings were published throughout convention in issues of Today’s Business.

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