North American contextualization of the Women’s Pre-Assembly message

Here is the text of the press release of the Women contribution to the North American Pre-Assembly, Kitchener, January 2010:

Women Delegates Urge Lutheran Communion to Address Human Trafficking Issues

Just to Put Food on the Table

KITCHENER, Ontario, Canada/GENEVA, 1 February 2010 (LWI) – Women’s issues should not be just a priority for women throughout the Lutheran World Federation (LWF); being an inclusive communion is the responsibility of the entire communion.

Speaking on behalf of women delegates and advisors attending the LWF North America Pre-Assembly Consultation (NAPAC), Mikka McCracken, female youth delegate from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) urged all LWF North American delegates to take on the issues women delegates have lifted up as priorities within the whole LWF.

“These are issues that we are all called to,” said McCracken. “If only women take them on, this is not full communion.”

Participants were urged to stand in solidarity with women delegates in addressing the issues of human trafficking, women in leadership and food justice. The three priority areas were first prepared and proclaimed at the LWF Women’s Pre-Assembly in Bogis-Bossey, Switzerland, 27-31 October 2009, and were affirmed by North American region women delegates.

Twelve individuals in a variety of roles participated in the NAPAC youth and women’s meetings, which took place one day prior to the 29-31 January regional pre-assembly.

Education was a significant component in the call to address issues around human trafficking. “We have a lot of learning to do about what trafficking really is,” said McCracken. “This is not just something that happens elsewhere. It is the reality within our own context.”

Women delegates joined the LWF Council 2009 decision in absolutely rejecting “the turning of human beings into commodities, especially for the purposes of forced or exploitative labor, sexual exploitation, forced marriage, armed conflict or ‘organ harvesting.’” They called for wholeness for victims and recognition of commodification of human beings as sin.

Harmful Stigmas and Perceptions

“In some places women sell themselves just to put food on the table for their families,” noted McCracken. “The Church must combat the sale of women’s and children’s bodies, particularly at this time of global financial crisis.”

Within the North American context, delegates were urged to explore their responsibility for human trafficking by addressing some of the contributing factors such as increased availability and acceptability of pornography. “These are often considered to be sending countries and destination countries,” noted McCracken, in reference to both pornography and human trafficking. North America is often referred to as a destination country and its contribution to facilitating the demand of humans as commodities needs to be addressed. Delegates were encouraged to address the role they can have in changing the harmful stigmas and perceptions that women and children are dispensable and saleable.

Delegates were also urged to play a greater role in affirming women in leadership throughout the church. Women delegates strongly affirmed the LWF’s commitment to women’s ordination, first made by the 1984 Assembly in Budapest, Hungary. “We, men and women, must raise up and nurture women and know where power and privilege are at work,” said McCracken.

LWF member churches were encouraged to identify processes for naming female candidates to key LWF positions, and create opportunities to see visible change in the Lutheran family, including addressing issues around appropriate legislation and regulations that would enable women to take positions of leadership. The women delegates called for the creation of an LWF task force to organize theological discussions to identify guiding gender justice principles that would help member churches to contextualize and promote gender policies.

“We recognize the importance of modeling,” said McCracken, referring to the North American context, “and we encourage churches worldwide to experience women in the pulpit, at the altar, and in decision-making bodies.”

Turning to the issue of food justice, the changing dynamics within North American households were discussed. McCracken noted a recent statistic indicating that within the United States, 22 percent of women earn more than their husbands and are considered, “the bread winners” in their households. In addition, food production has become more industrialized; farmland is being converted to development and housing and profit is the primary motivator versus nutrition, she said.

McCracken called on delegates to consider that “when we pray, we acknowledge that food is a gift from God.” LWF churches were encouraged to actively participate in the fight for food justice through engagement in campaigns and the search for long-term sustainable change in this area. (725 words)

Womens Pre-Assembly North American Context

Asian contextualization of the Women’s Pre-Assembly message

Here is the text of the press release of the Women contribution to the Asian Pre-Assembly, Bangkok, December 2009:

“Asian Women Seek Structures That Ensure Visible Inclusion in the LWF

Call to Empower Womens Response to Climate Change, Poverty and Human Trafficking

BANGKOK; Thailand/GENEVA, 8 December 2009 (LWI) Women delegates attending the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Asian region Pre-Assembly Consultation (APAC) commended the LWFs far-reaching advocacy for marginalized groups in church and society, but called for urgent changes to structures and traditions that further perpetuate exclusion.

Making women visible is the first step in reducing their vulnerability, said Ms Dora R. Hemalatha, when she presented the womens perspectives on the keynote address by LWF vice president Bishop Dr Munib A. Younan. The presentation by the bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELJHL) focused on daily bread as a holy call to justice in the Asian context.

Among other issues in his keynote address, the ELCJHL bishop called the church to take a strong stand against the feminization of hunger by educating, empowering and enabling women for full membership in all spheres of society.

The keynote address, said Hemalatha, highlighted how the church could work against hunger and related issues, but it would be strengthened by adding ways in which women in the church in particular can be empowered to overcome these challenges. The womens response underlined the need to provide opportunities for women to participate, speak, act and take a lead in their own churches starting from the grassroots level.

Cultural, traditional and social restrictions often mean that women are more affected by hunger and poverty than men, reported Hemalatha, womens secretary at the Arcot Lutheran Church (ALC) in India. Women are deprived of their status in church and society, she added.

During hard times, the women are the first to give something up: With less food to go around, it is invariably the woman who gives up her food to feed the family, Hemalatha said. This situation also has an impact on womens health, she noted, citing the example of India, where more than 50 percent of women are anemic. Out of 15 women giving birth, eight deliver premature babies with a low birth weight, said the ALC womens leader.

Objects of Entertainment

The Asian region women also pointed out the need for the church to become more involved in efforts to counter human trafficking, of which a majority of the victims are women and girls. Trafficking of girls is at an all time high. Women are being portrayed as objects of entertainment, bonded labor, slave trade and feudalism. Men feel that women [have an obligation] to bring money to the family to support the family needs. We should especially talk about how churches can help women to change this situation.

On climate change, the APAC women delegates emphasized that the impact of our energy-hungry lifestyles are affecting people across the world. They said Dalit and Adivasi (tribal) women were among the most affected as they lack the capacity to deal with climate change.

While the women welcomed Younans invitation to Asian churches to join the 13 December bell ringing to support the global climate change campaign, they urged more serious action beyond this important symbolic expression of solidarity. What should we do to change peoples life styles in a context in which women and children are the victims of this social issue? What as a church is our response to this alarming issue? they asked. (See invitation to the ecumenical bell ringing initiative on the LWF web site at: www.lutheranworld.org)

The women delegates said there were some LWF member churches that still did not recognize womens ordination. We believe that women bring an essential perspective to all types of ministry – ordained and lay – in an increasingly fractured and fractious world, they stated in their response.

We strongly protest that just doing things to fulfill the policy of the LWF and not giving [a] chance to work in their respective places is not just. For example, just giving women ordination and not giving them a real chance in the churches to obtain higher positions in the church council and equal status in the church like the male pastors, said Hemalatha on behalf of the women delegates attending the APAC.

The pre-assembly participants continue deliberations in small group discussions on climate change, human trafficking, and diakonia reaction to exclusion and religious diapraxis. (722 words) “

Men: ‘Do you know who we are? Presentation of women delegates, LWF (APAC, ACLC) 2010

The Sacred Meal

The Sacred Feast is a fabulous look at the Eucharist, written in a way that a thoughtful Christian can be both educated and inspired and find in the writing truths that are known. (This is a volume in the Ancient Practices series being published by Thomas Nelson.) When I read two memoirs of Gallagher’s, I knew that she and I had a similar Eucharistic piety, so I was immediately drawn to this book. I will read it again and again.

Here’s just a brief snippet from this slim volume but it gives you a wonderful taste:  “[E]ach one of us was given the grace to move outside the world as it is, and into another place. We took a risk, accepted an invitation; we smelled the scent of fresh, baking bread.  We were given the grace to leave behind our small lives, our drawn lines, our starvation diets, our immaturity, to feast at that heavenly banquet prepared for us at the foundations of the world.”

This book is an aid in exploring the LWF assembly theme.

(This is a volume in the Ancient Practices series being published by Thomas Nelson.)

Linda Post Bushkofsky

Blog to blog

Hello from the United States. This week the North American delegates to the 2010 LWF Assembly will be meeting in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada for their pre-assembly meeting. Many will arrive tomorrow. To kick off that meeting, I’ve blogged about the women’s pre-assembly over at http://blogs.elca.org/women/. Check it out!

Linda

Women’s Pre-Assembly Message

Women on the way to the Eleventh LWF Assembly

The hunger for justice and the bread of life

Women’s Pre-Assembly Message in English

Women’s Pre-Assembly Message in Spanish

Women’s Pre-Assembly Message in French

Women’s Pre-Assembly Message in German

El pan diario y un mundo mejor son conquistas cotidianas

Experiencias de mujeres campesinas acompañadas por el CAPA – Centro de Apoyo al Pequeño Agricultor

El colorido de la diversidad

“Cuando yo era niña en mi casa siempre escuchaba decir que si tu eres campesino, estás más cerca de Dios”, es así que comienza nuestra conversa con Denise, joven campesina de la comunidad de remanso, en el sur de Brasil. Denise Peter Pokoyeski tiene 29 años, es casada con Jeronimo, también campesino; el matrimonio tiene dos hijos: Igor y Luana. Desde su niñez Denise acompaña el trabajo del Centro de Apoyo al Pequeño Agricultor – CAPA de la Iglesia Evangélica de Confesión Luterana en Brasil – IECLB, con el apoyo de EED (Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst- Alemania)-  y Fundación Luterana de Diaconía – Brasil, realiza en su comunidad.

 Ella cuenta que con 7 años, junto con sus padres y hermanos, participaba de las reuniones del CAPA para la formación de la Asociación de los Pequeños Campesinos de su comunidad. Y es allí también que aprendió su profesión: campesina ecológica. Hoy ella y su esposo producen frutas y verduras orgánicas y las venden en las ferias ecológicas de las ciudades vecinas y también entregan alimentos para el programa de combate al hambre del gobierno brasileño: el Hambre Cero.

 “Todo de la mejor calidad, producido sin veneno”, es lo que nos cuenta la joven luterana, que se preocupa con la salud de los que van a consumir lo que ellos producen. Y añade: “Al producir alimentos, lo hacemos con alegría! No  trabajamos solo para ganar dinero, tenemos calidad de vida!”  Además de sembrar, Denise también comercializa los productos en las ferias y evalúa que las mujeres venden muy bien, pues organizan mejor la exposición de los productos, con muy buen gusto y creatividad. Para ella, la vida de las mujeres campesinas, en su región, cambió mucho y para mejor en los últimos años.

 “Antes no estábamos organizadas, pero ahora asumimos la directiva de nuestras comunidades religiosas y de las asociaciones comunitarias. La propia Denise es miembro del Consejo Directivo del CAPA de Pelotas (ciudad del extremo sur de Brasil) y aún de la directiva de la Cooperativa Sur Ecológica, que reúne campesinos que producen alimentos orgánicos. Ella ya tuvo oportunidad de hacer otros trabajos, pero a Denise  le encanta trabajar en la tierra y vivir en contacto con la naturaleza.

 La pareja cree que el futuro del hijo y de la hija está en la tierra, produciendo alimentos de calidad así como ellos lo hacen; y concluyen: “lo mejor es que toda la familia se involucre y los hijos van a tener el amor por esta actividad.” Ellos creen que la profesión de campesino ecológico tiene futuro, y evalúan que están aconteciendo cambios y las personas quieren consumir productos de calidad.

 Denise y su familia siembran y cosechan, en su cotidiano, un mundo mejor para todos nosotros y nosotras.

Texto: Rita Surita

Engenheira Agrônoma, Coordenadora do CAPA Pelotas

 Traduccion: Elaine Neuenfeldt

“Feeding the hungry”

Lutheran chaplaincy perspective from Leeds

By:Seija Frears & team

In the afternoon, before leaving for work, I go to the local shop and buy five loaves of bread, apples, oranges and grapes. This food will feed the hungry of this day: in the evening we will have International Students club meeting at Emmanuel Centre Chaplaincy.

This Club is organised and run by about 10 Christians from different churches in Leeds and by some Chaplains at the two universities in Leeds. It was started 23 years ago by St Georges’s Anglican Church and has provided friendship and support, based on Christian hospitality ’WELCOMING STRANGERS’. There are no strings attached and students of any cultural and religious background are welcome. It is a place where students from all nationalities can make friends, practise their English, learn more about life in Britain & in other countries. And optionally have opportunity to study the Bible and find out more about Christianity after the club for those who are also spiritually hungry.

The Club meets every Wednesday throughout the year (except one week around Christmas) starting at 6 o’clock with refreshments; toasted bread, fruits & nuts, cakes & biscuits, hot & soft drinks.

The social and cultural program starts at 6.45pm. Normally we have topics like: Cultural Exchange, Barn Dance, Indian Evening, International Quiz, Karaoke and Music, International Food & Salsa dancing, Fair Trade and Chinese New Year, we also visit Leeds Town Hall or walk together in some beautiful parks in Leeds during the summer term. We celebrate Christmas & Easter and at the end of the academic year we have a Barbeque. We hope to maintain a family atmosphere and say individual ‘good byes’ to students when they leave.

Dancing our praise of Jesus

Last evening’s worship, led by our Asian sisters, closed with a rousing chorus of “Zan-mei Ye-su” (“Praise Lord Jesus”). The singing and dancing really made the stone walls of the chapel at Bossey rock!

Worship came at the end of a long day that was filled with many thought-provoking presentations and discussions. Angeline Munzara, of the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance, spoke about its Food for Life campaign that is working to achieve just and sustainable production, just and sustainable consumption, and the realization of the right to food for all people. Fulata Moyo, program executive for women in church and society at the World Council of Churches, led a discussion of the words of institution in Holy Communion and how the brokenness of Christ’s body is literally is repeated every time a woman is denied sovereignty over her own body. Afternoon sessions were spent in small group discussion.

“I don’t have any bread–only a handful of flour”

 

The children of Pastor Kuss's congregation painted this image, showing the home of a widow in their portion of Brazil

 

Today’s work is grounded in God’s word: the widow at Zarephath (1 Kings:7-24). The Rev. Cibele Kuss of the Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil presented today’s study, leading an exploration of daily bread in the context of this particular widow. Kuss pulled in her own experiences of serving as an ombudswoman within the justice system in her Brazilian community. Participate in our study by reading 1 Kings:7-24 and reflecting on the meaning of daily bread. Is daily bread enough for the widow and her child?

 

Consider Martin Luther’s explanation of this portion of the Lord’s Prayer, as found in the Small Catechism:

What is meant by daily bread?–Answer.

Everything that belongs to the support and wants of the body, such as meat, drink, clothing, shoes, house, homestead, field, cattle, money, goods, a pious spouse, pious children, pious servants, pious and faithful magistrates, good government, good weather, peace, health, discipline, honor, good friends, faithful neighbors, and the like.

Today we began with worship

 

Grains, breads and baskets from around the world.

 

This morning women brought grains, bread and baskets from many lands, bringing to life the 11th LWF Assembly theme, Give Us Today Our Daily Bread. Women took fabric squares and wrote on them a word of hope for our futures together. Women raised their voices in song and praise, praying as the one who is the bread of heaven taught us, lifting up the prayer in a wonderful cacophony of languages. This was our opening worship.

 

The group moved from worship into plenary sessions that covered matters of interest for delegates to the 2010 assembly in Stuttgart. Not only are the delegates preparing themselves for the assembly but the women–who are holding the first pre-assembly meeting–are preparing the whole communion for the assembly. Six women who are currently serving on the LWF council shared their experiences from that role. The group heard several other presentations in preparation for the assembly. The day was rich with ideas and growing strategies, and surely tonight’s prayers and dreams will reflect that richness.

Linda Post Bushkofsky is the WICAS regional coordinator for North America.