Departments and Offices of the LWF

LWF Departments and Offices

The Lutheran World Federation was founded at its first Assembly in Lund, Sweden, in 1947. The LWF now comprises 66.2 million of the world's 69 million Lutherans, and acts on behalf of its member churches in areas of common interest, such as:

ecumenical relations
theology
humanitarian assistance
human rights
communication
mission and development

The LWF secretariat is located in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland, thus enabling close cooperation with the World Council of Churches and other Christian world communions.

LWF Departments and Offices

General Secretary (GS)
- The Office of the General Secretary and the LWF Secretariat (Geneva, Switzerland)
- General Secretary
  Dr. Ishmael Noko
  Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe
- Deputy General Secretary
  Rev. Dr. Chandran Paul Martin
  United Evangelical Lutheran Church in India
Office for Ecumenical Affairs
- The Office for Ecumenical Affairs develops and maintains bilateral ecumenical relationships with other Christian world communions; explores the issue of Lutheran identity in such relations; and encourages the process of reception.
- Program Committee for Ecumenical Affairs
  - Chairperson
    Rev. Dr. Joachim Track
    Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria
- OEA Staff (Geneva, Switzerland)
  - Assistant General Secretary for Ecumenical Affairs
    Rev. Sven Oppegard
    Church of Norway
Office for International Affairs and Human Rights
- The Office for International Affairs & Human Rights assists the General Secretary in developing and implementing policy on an international level, including issues relating to human rights, justice, peace and reconciliation; coordinates such activities with other units of the secretariat; and works with member churches to strengthen their ministry in these areas.
- Standing Committee for International Affairs & Human Rights
  - Chairperson
    Diadem Depayso
    Lutheran Church in the Philippines
- IAHR Staff (Geneva, Switzerland)
  - Assistant to the General Secretary for International Affairs & Human Rights
    Mr. Peter N. Prove
    Lutheran Church of Australia
Department for Mission and Development (DMD)
- The Department for Mission & Development fosters the communion of member churches - by encouraging, supporting and working jointly with Lutheran churches, agencies and other groups to engage in holistic ministry.
- DMD’s program activities concentrate on three integrated fields of witness: proclamation, advocacy and service. Its strategic focuses are capacity building, consultancy and coordination of resources.
- Program Committee for Mission and Development
  - Chairperson
    President Walter Altmann
    Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil
  - Vice-Chairperson
    Abigail Hoffman
    Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
  - Project Committee Chairperson
    Archbishop Anders Wejryd
    Church of Sweden
- DMD Staff (Geneva, Switzerland)
  - Director
    Rev. Dr. Kjell Nordstokke
    Church of Norway
  - Secretary for Project Coordination & Administration
    Ms Margret Stasius
    Federation of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein
  - Secretary for Project Implementation & Monitoring
    Dr. Jacob Koos Schep
    Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Kingdom of The Netherlands
  - Area Secretary for Africa
    Dr. Musa Filibus
    Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria
  - Area Secretary for Asia
    Rev. Ginda P. Harahap
    Christian Protestant Angkola Church
  - Regional Coordinator for Asia (Bangkok, Thailand)
    Ms. Sally Kee
    Lutheran Church in Singapore
  - Area Secretary for Europe
    Rev. Dr. Eva- Sybille Vogel Mfato
  - Area Secretary for Latin America & the Caribbean Region
    Rev. Martin Junge
    Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chile
  - Regional Expression Officer for North America (Chicago, USA)
    Ms. Kathy Magnus
    Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
  - Secretary for Women in Church & Society
    Ms Priscilla Singh
    The Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church
  - Secretary for Youth in Church & Society
    Rev. Mia Wrang
    Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland
  - Secretary for Human Resources Development
    Ms Kristin Roaldseth Moyer
    Church of Norway
Department for World Service (DWS)
- The Department for World Service has operational responsibility for relief, rehabilitation and development programs in areas of endemic need, and works wherever possible with local member churches.
- Emergency funding appeals, usually benefiting refugees, are coordinated through ACT (Action by Churches Together) which is organizationally based in the LWF and the WCC (World Council of Churches).
- DWS maintains 26 field offices: 14 in Africa, 5 in Asia, 3 in Eastern Europe, and 4 in Latin America and the Caribbean with a staff of about 6,000 who are mainly local workers.
- Challenges include:
  - continuing migration of large populations
  - conflict
  - insecurity and fragile peace
  - globalization and poverty
  - diminishing funds
  - program transition for long term development.
- Program Committee for World Service
  - Chairperson
    Rev. Marie Barnett
    Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sierra Leone
  - Vice-Chairperson
    Rev. Emmanuel Grantson
    Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
  - Standing Committee Chairperson
    Bishop Julius D. Paul
    Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malaysia
  - DWS Staff (Geneva, Switzerland)
  - Director
    Rev. Eberhard Hitzler
  - Coordinator for Program Implementation
    Rudelmar Bueno de Faria
    Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil
  - Program Secretary - Emergencies and Refugees
    Mr. Neville Pradhan
    Church of North India
  - Program Secretary - Human Resource Development
    Mr. Lemma Degefa
    The Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus
  - Program Secretary - Sustainable Development and Environment
    Rudelmar Bueno de Faria
    Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil
  - Secretary for Finance & Administration
    Barry Lynam
    Lutheran Church of Australia
  - Secretary for Evaluation & Planning
    Maryssa Camaddo
    United Church of Christ in the Philippines.
Department for Theology and Studies (DTS)
- The Department for Theology & Studies encourages and conducts theological studies to assist member churches in exploring the range of theological issues that confront the Lutheran communion as it participates in God’s mission.
- Focuses of study and research include:
  - theology and the church
  - worship and congregational life
  - the church and social issues
  - the church and people of other faiths
- Program Committee for Theology and Studies
  - Chairperson
    Dr. Barbara Rossing
    Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- DTS Staff (Geneva, Switzerland)
  - Director and Study Secretary for Church & Social Issues
    Dr. Karen Bloomquist
    Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
  - Study Secretary for Theology & the Church
    Dr. Reinhard Bottcher
    Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria
  - Study Secretary for Church & People of Other Faiths
    Dr. Ingo Wulfhorst
Office for Communication Services (OCS)
- The Office for Communication Services enables the voice of the churches to be heard in public. Services include LWI (Lutheran World Information) and the publication of magazines, studies and documentation for other units.
- Program Committee for Communication Services
  - Chairperson
    Rev. Kristin Tomasdottir
    Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland
- OCS Staff (Geneva, Switzerland)
  - Director/Editor in Chief
    Ms. Karin Achtelstetter
  - Editor - German
    Mr. Dirk Michael Grötzsch
    Evangelical Lutheran Church of Saxony
  - Editor - English
    Ms. Pauline Mumia
    The Anglican Church in Kenya
Aids/HIV Coordinator
- Dr. Sheila Shyamprasad

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