AGM

Every year the Society holds an Annual General Meeting. So far these have been in London but have been attended by members from all over Europe and from the USA.

The next one will be on Saturday 5th March 2011. It will focus on Anglicans and Lutherans working together for peace and justice in Jerusalem. Book the date in your diary. Details here as soon as we have them.

The meetings themselves are very short. The usual reports are given and officers and committee members are elected. The rest of the time is given over to consideration of a special topic or theme.

The 2010 AGM

was held on Saturday 13th March at Christus Kirche, the German Church in Montpelier Place in London's Knightsbridge.

The Business Meeting was chaired by Bishop Rupert Hoare. His Lutheran Co-Moderator, Bishop Jana Jeruma-Grinberga, was unable to attend the meeting and sent sincere apologies to the members, who had gathered from all over Europe and the UK.

The Co-Moderators reported that the Society had enjoyed a good year. The Conference in Turku, Finland, had been a great success, and appreciation was expressed to the Rev Dr Jaakko Rusama (right), our National Co-Ordinator in Finland, and his team, whose hard work had born such wonderful fruit. The Moderators reminded the meeting of the next Conference, to take place in Salisbury, UK, 16th-20th September, 2011, and informed the meeting that a conference for theological students from across the world was being planned for 2012. Details of both will appear on the 'Conferences' page as soon as they are available.

The Treasurer, Canon Guy Smith, reported that the Society's finances are in good order. He gave notice that he would like to relinquish the post next year. So if you have any ideas who might take on the Treasurer's role please contact the Moderators.

Our Moderators were both re-elected. The Executive Committee has one more year of its three year stint to serve. But the Rev Siggi Arnarson had resigned and so the Rev Elîza Zikmane of the Latvian Church Abroad (left) was elected to serve for one year.

Written reports were received from our National Co-Ordinators, who were thanked for their hard work on behalf of the Society.

Two members of the Executive Committee will be travelling to Tampa in the USA in April to support members of the American Chapter of the Society (known in the USA as the 'International Lutheran-Episcopal Society') in advertising our work to those attending the Annual National Workshop on Christian Unity there. The Society will also have a stand at the Second Ecumenical Kirchentag in Munich in May.

Following the meeting, members turned to the topic for the day:

'MAKING MEISSEN WORK'

Our Anglican President, Dean John Arnold (pictured here) briefly reminded the meeting of the steps that led to the Meissen Agreement. Full text here.

Then the Co-Chairmen of the Meissen Commission, the Rt Rev Jürgen Johanesdotter, former Bishop of the Landeskirche of Schaumburg-Lippe (and also Lutheran President of the Society) - full text here - and the Rt Rev Nick Baines, Bishop of Croydon (left) - summary here - described some of the ways in which the agreement was being implemented on both sides, and some of the successes, disappointments and challenges that have been encountered along the way.

Full summaries of these three presentations will be published in the April 2010 edition of 'The Window'.

After a splendid Mediterranean lunch members were invited to share experiences with one another and with a panel that included Bishops Baines and Johannesdotter, the Rev Dr Leslie Nathaniel from the Council for Christian Unity of the Church of England, and Rev John Yule, Vicar of Fen Drayton in Cambridgeshire who, together with his wife, has been very active in developing relations between the Diocese of Ely and the North Elbian Lutheran Church in Germany. It is hoped that some of the points raised in discussion will also appear in 'The Window'.

The closing worship was led by the pastors of the German-speaking congregation, Anne-Kathrin and Wolfgang Kruse.

The 2009 AGM

was held on Saturday 7th March at The Augustana Centre, 30 Thanet Street, London WC1H 9QH. It was the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Society.

During the business meeting The Rev Tom Bruch stood down after many years of faithful service as Lutheran Co-Moderator. The meeting expressed deep appreciation for all that he has done. The Rt Rev Jana Jeruma-Grinberga, Bishop of the Lutheran Church in Great Britain was elected as his successor.

Reports were received from the Co-Moderators, the Treasurer and the National Co-ordinators. Members were given an update on the preparations for the conference in September, and details can be found on the 'Conferences' page.

The rest of the day focussed on Anglican-Lutheran relations. The Rev Dr Charlotte Methuen, a member of the Anglican Lutheran International Commission, set the scene, describing the current state of Anglican-Lutheran relationships around the world. To read a transcript of her talk click here.

Then Bishop Michael Westall, former Bishop of the Anglican Southwest Tanganyika Diocese, spoke about relationships between our two communions in Tanzania, and commented on recent developments in the Anglican Communion from an African perspective. To read his paper click here.

After lunch the Rev David Cornick of the United Reformed Church and Fr Phillip Swingler, Roman Catholic, responded to what they have heard during the morning session. They were then joined by Dr Methuen and Bishop Westall, and the meeting ended with open discussion and plenty of questions and contributions from the floor. A summary of this plenary can be found here.

The day concluded with Lutheran Vespers led by Bishop Jana Jeruma-Grinberga. The preacher was the Rev Tumaini Kallaghe, Pastor of the Swahili congregation at St Anne's Church in London. The Furaha Choir led the singing in both English and Swahili.

Members can find a full account of the day's events in the April 2009 edition of 'The Window'.

The 2008 AGM

was on Saturday 8th March, 2008 at St Matthew's Church, Westminster

After a brief business meeting, during which the new constitution was adopted, the topic for the rest of the day was a celebration of the Icelandic priest-poet, Hallgrimur Petursson (1614-1674). His 'Passion Hymns', telling the story of the passion of Christ, have provided Icelanders with spiritual support during the most difficult times in their national and personal history. They are read, all fifty of them, on Icelandic State Radio during the season of Lent. The largest church in Reykjavik, Hallgrimskirkja, is named in his honour.

The Icelandic Ambassador in London, His Excellency Mr Sverrir Gunnlaugsson, under whose patronage this part of the event took place, welcomed the large audience.

Dr Einar Sigurbjornsson from the University of Iceland described Hallgrimur's theology, his place within the Lutheran tradition, and the spiritual importance of the 'Passion Hymns'.

Dr Margret Eggertsdottir of the Arni Magnusson Institute in Reykjavik spoke of his place within the literary heritage both of Iceland and of Western Europe as a whole.

The Rev Berhardur Gudmundsson of the National Church of Iceland described the place and significance of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland among all the other Churches of the world.

All three papers can be found on our 'Papers and Publications' page. Just click here.

The day ended with a celebration of the Lord's Supper according to the Icelandic Rite.

The 2007 AGM

took place on Saturday 10th March at the Finnish Church, 33 Albion Street, Rotherhithe, London SE16 7HZ.

After reports from the officers thanks were expressed to the Rt Rev Erik Vikström, Bishop of Porvoo (Borga), Finland, who, after serving for 11 years, had resigned as Co-President of the Society. In appreciation of his enormous contribution he was made a Life Member of the Anglican   Lutheran Society, a distinction he shares with Ronald Englund, a former Lutheran Co-Moderator.

The meeting was delighted to learn that the Rt Rev Jürgen Johannesdotter, Bishop of Shaumburg-Lippe in Germany, had been invited to succeed Bishop Erik, and his appointment was received with acclamation.

The theme for the day was 'Touching the Fringe', a consideration of some of the ways in which Anglican and Lutheran congregations are trying to draw people on the edges of the Church into a deeper relationship with Christ.

Bishop Erik in an excellent paper reminded members that it is in the fringe areas, where life is uncertain and risky, that the Holy Spirit seems to prefer to work. Then, after lunch, the Rev Ian Mobsby, Priest Missioner to the Moot Community and Associate Missioner to the Archbishops' 'Fresh Expressions' team, described a number of ways in which Christian congregations in England are engaging in mission by encouraging new and different expressions of church life.

The day ended with a celebration of the Finnish 'Thomas Mass' at which members of the Society were joined by a group of young people from Sweden who had come to England with their Pastor, herself a member, to find out about church life here.

In 2006, in Southwark Cathedral, our meeting focused on the question, ‘Must ethical issues necessarily be Church dividing?' The papers read by Kenneth G. Appold of the Institute for Ecumenical Research, Strasbourg and Jeremy Morris of Trinity Hall, Cambridge can be found by clicking here .

In 2005, in the Swedish Church, the life and achievements of Danish theologian, educationalist and hymn writer Nicolai Grundtvig were introduced and evaluated by Canon Donald Allchin and Professor Sid Bradley. We also enjoyed singing a number of Grundtvig's hymns during our worship together.

 

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