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 About
the Lutheran Office for World Community(LOWC) The Lutheran Office for World Community represents the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York under a written agreement between the ELCA Church in Society program unit and the LWF. The LWF is a non-governmental organization officially recognized by the UN's Economic and Social Council. The work of the Lutheran Office for World Community grows out of the conviction that the nations of the world belong to God (Psalm 82:8). They are the objects of God's redeeming purposes of justice, mercy, and peace. The Church, scattered throughout the nations yet one people by faith, works to bless the nations with what Jesus promised-"life in all its fullness" (John 10:10). Through the Lutheran Office for World Community, the ELCA seeks to serve "in response to God's love to meet human needs" by "advocating dignity and justice for all people" and "working for peace and reconciliation among the nations..." (ELCA Constitution 4.02.c). History The Lutheran Office for World Community was formed in 1973 in response to the principles embodied in the United Nations Charter. Lutheran activity in international advocacy at the United Nations, however, may be traced to the world organization's early days when Lutheran seminary professor O. Frederick Nolde was a leader in the development of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Every assembly of the Lutheran World Federation since its founding in 1947 and many social statements by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and its predecessor bodies have affirmed the importance of human rights, peace, and justice. Since 1973, the Lutheran Office for World Community has participated in a variety of historic issues. The independence of Namibia was a major policy goal at a time when few others advocated for the people in that land. The office assisted The Lutheran World Federation in 1989 and into the 1990s as it helped mediate the differences between the warring parties in Guatemala. In 1993, the Lutheran Office for World Community participated in the World Conference on Human Rights held in Vienna, Austria. It has worked for human rights on behalf of people in Ethiopia, El Salvador, Liberia, South Africa, the Middle East and Eastern Europe.
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