by John R. Brooks, ELCA News Service
Global partnerships among Lutheran churches are important to
smaller Lutheran churches in countries such as Papua New Guinea,
said Isaac Teo, general secretary of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church of Papua New Guinea. Teo, who visited North America and
the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Chicago, Aug.
22-25, said the ELCA and the Papua New Guinea Lutheran Church
have been partners for a long time. "My visit here is to remind
us that we are still partners," he said.
Teo was elected general secretary in January 2006. He came to
his new role with credentials as a corporate planner and
communication engineer, with years of volunteer work for the
church. As general secretary, Teo said a key part of his job is
working with partner Lutheran churches to exchange ideas and
information. Teo expressed his thanks to the ELCA for its
continuing partnership.
While he was in North America, Teo said he learned first-hand
about the importance of global church partnerships. "Even though
we are separated by mountains, by sea, so many miles away, at
that part of the day on Sunday, you here in America, you say the
Lord's Prayer, and you say the Apostles' Creed," he said. "At the
same time in the Papua News Guinea church we say that same
prayer. That binds us together as one big family. I am glad
that I am witness to that."
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
