Bishop Deborah Hutterer will attend the Retreat of Newly Elected Leaders (RoNEL), an activity of the The Lutheran World Federation’s Church Leadership in the Sustainability Program. The activity targets newly elected leaders (Bishops, Pastor Presidents) who come together to contemplate about their vocation.

The Lutheran World Federation is a global communion of 148 churches in the Lutheran tradition, representing over 75.5 million Christians in 99 countries. 

RoNEL is carried out in close collaboration with the Wittenberg Seminar (GNC). It seeks to enhance relationships of leaders from churches and strengthen the concept and practice of leadership. It also promotes sharing of the life of individual churches in mission in the global communion adding to mutual learning.

RoNEL is a space where leaders become connected and be mutually supported especially in regards to contextual concerns. The activity gives opportunity to deliberate on the meaning of being active churches by being informed about various programs in Geneva and Wittenberg and by nurturing their historical background in Wittenberg. The retreat takes place in Geneva (Ecumenical Center) from 02 to 05 September (arrival on the 01) and in Wittenberg from September 06 (afternoon) to 09 (departing on the 10). 

Objectives

Enhance understanding and practice of transformative leadership and program activities in the LWF Communion Office in Geneva and Wittenberg Center. 

Expected outcomes:

• Leaders know the work of the LWF Communion Office and the Wittenberg Center.

• Leaders learn other the ways of living the vocation of being church in context.

• Leaders have created a community of peers becoming a support network.

• Leaders share motivational aspects of leadership.

• Leadership have connected with historic sites reaffirming their contemporary identity in the tradition of the Reformation.