Lutheran church won’t lay off pastors

THE 36th synod of the German-speaking Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (GELC) has decided against reducing the number of pastors in its congregations.

Instead, the delegates from 14 German-speaking congregations in Namibia decided to increase their contributions towards the salaries of pastors in order to intensify pastoral care, especially for the youth. Reverend Harald Kloepper of GELC said the church faced new challenges, with the sustainability of the number of pastors and how to better utilise the capacities of its members as top priorities.Torsten Boehmer, who represented the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Germany, told the delegates that the church in Germany was strapped for cash and was embarking on cost-cutting measures.”We are in the process of cutting down on expenses.For this reason we watch closely the discussion on the drafted strategies and the number of pastors,” he told the synod.In his address to the synod, the General Secretary of the Council of Churches in Namibia, Reverend Phillip Strydom, encouraged German-speaking Lutherans to identify a significant role for their church in Namibian society.The synod took up the matter and authorised the Church Council to initiate social projects accordingly.They also agreed to support the reconciliation process between Namibia and Germany.The synod also adopted the constitution of the United Church Council of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Namibia.Starting next year, this council will represent the three branches of the Lutheran Church in the country, advise member churches on joint projects and co-ordinate international relations.This will encourage co-operation without interfering in the independent constitutions of the three member churches, the council says.The GELC was founded in 1960 as a German-speaking Lutheran Church in Namibia.Today it has about 6 000 members in 14 congregations reaching from Luederitz to Tsumeb.Headed by Bishop E Hertel, GELC is a member of the CCN.Reverend Harald Kloepper of GELC said the church faced new challenges, with the sustainability of the number of pastors and how to better utilise the capacities of its members as top priorities.Torsten Boehmer, who represented the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Germany, told the delegates that the church in Germany was strapped for cash and was embarking on cost-cutting measures.”We are in the process of cutting down on expenses.For this reason we watch closely the discussion on the drafted strategies and the number of pastors,” he told the synod.In his address to the synod, the General Secretary of the Council of Churches in Namibia, Reverend Phillip Strydom, encouraged German-speaking Lutherans to identify a significant role for their church in Namibian society.The synod took up the matter and authorised the Church Council to initiate social projects accordingly.They also agreed to support the reconciliation process between Namibia and Germany.The synod also adopted the constitution of the United Church Council of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Namibia.Starting next year, this council will represent the three branches of the Lutheran Church in the country, advise member churches on joint projects and co-ordinate international relations.This will encourage co-operation without interfering in the independent constitutions of the three member churches, the council says.The GELC was founded in 1960 as a German-speaking Lutheran Church in Namibia.Today it has about 6 000 members in 14 congregations reaching from Luederitz to Tsumeb.Headed by Bishop E Hertel, GELC is a member of the CCN.