…but want to participate in the life of the global communion. This is one of the many challenging statements that were given today by young leaders participating in the LWF African Leadership Consultation in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Young people also highlighted the continuing plight of unemployment for many young people. They strongly advised the present church leadership to prioritize the issue if they don’ want to risk an estrangement of young people in their churches.

The young leaders also spoke to the way they see leadership. It should be free of any kind of corruption, free of “leadership conflicts, power struggles, external forces, repression of staff members (conflict managements), nepotism, tribalism … etc.”

Please read the full text of the thought-provoking and challenging message here or as pdf.

Youth Message to the African Lutheran Church Leadership Consultation

Held in Johannesburg, South Africa, 4 – 8 April, 2011

“Youth add a fullness and completeness to the Church therefore should not be excluded from the body of Christ”.

To Church leaders, Presidents, Bishops and all Delegates to the African Lutheran Church Leadership Consultation,

We as the representatives of the youths in Africa region to the African Lutheran Church Leadership Consultation wish to present to you our concerns that we think if they are addressed by our leaders in the various sub-regions will bring vibrant youths to the activities of our Churches in Africa.

Here are our concerns:

1. The role and place of the youths should be clearly defined through the strategic plan of the Communion office and within the life of member Churches of the LWF in order to allow young people to fully participate in decision making bodies and processes, also to benefit from advantages granted by the body of Christ to all generations.

2. Promoting the Lutheran identity in creating the public manifestations on music, drama and extravaganza projects for ensuring the implementations of Lutheran values.

3. We refuse to use Lutherans young people for fulfilling quotas, but we should be respectably given opportunities to participate in the living life of the global communion of Churches,

4. LWF Communion Office to provide youths accompaniments in mainstreaming HIV and AIDS, poverty alleviation and prevention of corruption into all Church activities,

5. Unemployment has became another virus in most of the African Sub-regions of the LWF and the most affected ones are the youths, due to lack of employment and financial support to go for further studies, our youths are now moving to other denominations seeking for greener pastures. Our leaders please take note and act promptly.

Now here are further questions for your commitments:

- What’s the voice of the Church on this issue?

- Why can’t the Church be the supporting point for this issue?

There is a statement, which says: “A good leader is the one who is creative”. Church leaders have to come up with the ideas on how they can put an end or minimize the percentage of this virus of unemployment.

6. We affirm that all Lutheran young people in Africa should not be part of the leadership conflicts, power struggles, external forces, repression of staff members (conflict managements), nepotism, tribalism … etc. We are ready to build the communion of churches where it’s good to create more spaces for everyone to live in peace and mutual solidarity for strengthening the pure and holistic mission of our God, with respect to the Holy Scriptures.

7. Empowering the exchange programs of young people locally (south – south) relations in diaconal and climate change issues for sustaining youth commitments to God’s service and globally for assisting each other in the interfaith renewals.

Conclusion:

Thanks be to our almighty God for his grace and protection, and also to the LWF for providing us with more spaces to express our concerns, progressives and developments ideas and finally to the African Church leaders for your love to the interests of African young people.

LIST OF PARTICIPANTS

Name Church organization

1. Ms. Mami Brunah ARO SANDANIAINA Malagasy Lutheran Church
2. Mr. A. Elijah ZINA Lutheran Church in Liberia
3. Ms. Helvi MUREMI ELCIN (Namibia)
4. Ms. Dorcus Mamorathi SEFAFO ELCSA (South Africa)
5. Ms. Maggy Hansen LUCSA Administration
6. Ms. Amanda TOMPKINS ELCA/ ELCSA volunteer
7. Michel Ngoy Mulunda ELCCO (Congo DR).