The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana enjoys several relationships with ecumenical and other partners. These relationships are enriching to the life of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana. This, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana is assured is mutual. Some of these relationship exist for decades while others are relatively new. Through these relationships the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana gets opportunities to share its gifts with the Global Christian Community. Also it is able to experience the communion of saints in a global sense. These relationships allow the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana to escape the stifling effects of parochialism. Global relationships help the church to put into proper perspectives its own struggles, weaknesses strengths and gifts. GUYANA COUNCIL OF CHURCHES AND CARIBBEAN COUNCIL OF CHURCHES The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana shares relationships with Guyana Council of Churches, Lutheran World Federation, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Eastern Synod-Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, Florida-Bahamas Synod, Fellowship Lutheran Church, Wartburg Theological Seminary, Ministry Among Guyanese, Guyana Mission Network. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana is committed to ecumenical that is why it is a member of the Guyana Council of Churches and the Caribbean Conference of Churches. Its representatives have played active roles in these organizations. LUTHERAN WORLD FEDERATION The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana is a longstanding member of the Lutheran World Federation. Here too, over the years the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana had opportunities to serve on the Council, committees, youth and women's work of L.W.F. Also several of Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana members participated in consultations of the L.W.F. The L.W.F has assisted the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana by funding a radio communication network for the riverain parish and communities of the Reformation parish. It also funded the renovation of a building to house the Lutheran lay Academy in New Amsterdam, Berbice. EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana and Evangelical Lutheran Church in America share a historical relationship. This relationship dates back to 1890 when the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana became affiliated to the Pennsylvania Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Church in America that relationship grew and change with time. Today these are two sovereign churches sharing a healthy relationship. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana is now considered a suitable site by Evangelical Lutheran Church in America for its seminarians who would like to do international internship. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana is also engaged in relationships with several other entities in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The Florida Bahamas Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana have undertaken mutual accompaniment in their companion synod relationship. An early major emphasis of this relationship was people interaction. This took place in the exchange of visits by people of the Florida Bahamas Synod and Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana to each others church. However the difficulty of experienced by Guyanese to obtain U.S visas to travel to the United States of America has seen this activity unfortunately reduced to a one-way flow from Florida Bahamas Synod to Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana. Youths of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana were especially affected. The Florida Bahamas Synod has supported the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana ministry in the areas of music, education, construction and the presence of Canadian VIM pastors in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana. Both Bishops Edward Benoway and William Bernard Trexler have supported this relationship. Other key players in this relationship from Florida Bahamas Synod are Revs Gary Leopard, Connie Braaten, Jack Reents, Curt Snare and Ms. Kris Clafs. Another entity of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America that the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana enjoys accompaniment with is the Fellowship Lutheran Church of Tulsa, Oklahoma. This relationship started in 1996. It began under the pastorate of Pastor Jim Fish and now continues under Pastor Fox. The mover and shaker of this relationship from Fellowship Lutheran Church end is Dr. Erv Janssen. Since 1996 most of Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana pastors have visited Fellowship Lutheran Church to participate in their Mission Week activities. Annually several persons from Fellowship Lutheran Church and other churches in the network came to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana on music, construction, medical educational, sewing and camping activities. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana and Fellowship Lutheran Church have been mutually built up by this relationship. WARTBURG THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY – The relationship between Wartburg Theological Seminary and Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana has been growing since its inception in the early 1990s. Through Wartburg Theological Seminary several of Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana pastors have had Clinical Pastoral Education experience. Several faculty members of Wartburg Theological Seminary visited the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana over the years. Annually students from Wartburg Theological Seminary come to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana in January to have their Cross cultural experience. Rev. Dr. Winston D. Persaud of Wartburg Theological Seminary is the key person behind this relationship at Wartburg Theological Seminary MINISTRY AMONG GUYANESE, GUYANESE LUTHERAN OUTREACH AND GUYANA MISSION NETWORK These are support networks of Guyanese Lutherans in the New York, New Jersey and other parts of the United States of America who support the ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana through fund-raising activities on behalf of the church. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana has been gifted with equipment, finance and resources for its ministry by these organisations. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana is deeply appreciative and feels indebted to the Guyanese Lutheran (and non-Guyanese) for the support of its ministry. EASTERN SYNOD – EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN CANADA (ES-E.L.C.I.C) The relationship between the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana and Eastern Synod-Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is a Companion Synod partnership in accompaniment. This relationship began with initiatives taken in 1997. By Michael Pryse have invested himself fully into the relationship to make it happen. Then Secretary of Easter Synod Bob Granke and Rev. Roy Thakurdyal, President of Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana laid the ground-work for the partnership. The relationship was solidified in 2000 at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana Annual Convention with both Bishop Pryse and Rev. Thakurdyal singing the document ratifying the relationship. Over the years there have been exchange visits at several levels between the two churches; church leaders, youth, women and other officials and both Bishop Pryse and President Thakurdyal have visited each others church at least twice. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana ministry was supported by Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada with the sending of two pastors to work in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana. Also Eastern Synod-Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada supported the Lutheran Lay Academy through funds for its renovations and flood relief in 2005. The Guyanese Lutheran in the diaspora of Canada held a service in 2004 to celebrate the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana anniversary. The offering from the service was designated for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana. This gift was designated by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana for its TV evangelism programme. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana is grateful for this support from the Guyanese Lutheran in Canada. |
