Greetings everyone,
The photo out front is from yesterday, when the Namibia Task Force of the Southwestern Washington Synod met with Bishop Rick Jaech to iron out final plans our a trip in early May to Johannesburg, S.A., and Namibia. I chair the task force, and one of the things Chriss and Brian Brickert of Faith Lutheran Church of Shelton and myself did was to receive a blessing from Bishop Rick.
Here's an article in the synod newsletter in which I explain more about our visitation. I am so excited, but know that this trip may well be postponed.
- Rachel Pritchett
Our synod’s companion relationship with Lutheran churches in Namibia continues in May as three of us visit our friends in Africa.Chriss and Brian Brickert of Faith Lutheran Church of Shelton and myself will join 50 others throughout the ELCA to meet in consultation with 50 religious leaders of Namibia and a dozen other southern Africa nations with ELCA companion relationships. Our goal in this three-day consultation in Johannesburg will be to worship together, listen and learn from each other, and strategize our relationships for the future. Specifically, we’ll look at issues such as the future of Lutheran theological education across the region as seminaries there struggle to continue. We’ll examine gender justice and care for creation. That’s the short list.I will be the communication consultant. With Bishop Laurie Skow-Anderson of the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin and Bishop MJ Ubane of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of South Africa, I will produce a summary of the consultation. The Brickerts then will join a group traveling to the north of Namibia to greet our many friends within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia. That leg of the journey will be led by Bishop Tracie Bartholomew of the New Jersey Synod. We’re looking at extending that trip into Angola, where Lutheran churches have expressed a desire to begin a companion relationship with the ELCA. We cannot wait to learn what the Brickerts discover.I approach this time with many emotions. I look back with gratitude on the many years our synod has been in this relationship. We tried to start a large garden to feed AIDS orphans, sent textbooks to a seminary, delivered knitted hats to a hospital up north where babies were suffering from malnutrition, and we supported children’s hostels in the south of Namibia. But I also look back with frustration that we could not do more to aid a country Lutherans helped free 30 years ago, but where poverty and now lack of hope prevail. I feel optimism, because I know I will find renewal for our companion relationship. Please pray for us as we travel. We’ll report back when we return.
