From Meeting 11th General Synod VELKD

In days 6th up to 8th November 2014 was held 7th Meeting the 11th General Synod United Evangelical-lutheran church in Germany (VELKD) in Dresden. On this Meeting was invited General Bishop ECAC in Slovakia Miloš Klátik.

The main theme of this meeting was „Communicating the Gospel in the digital society“. Negotiations was opened by Wilfried Hartmann, who is a president of General Synod VELKD. The main lecture to the theme had Ilona Nord, professor of practical theology on University in Hamburg. In her lecture emphasized that the christian communities are long-term organized as certain network and therefore have a good assumption to using new kinds of media. According her communicating the Gospel is principally related to media. Practical exercises about the project of christian communicating pointed to media area as a weblog, Facebook, Twitter or videos on Youtube.

To another point program of general synod was a contribution of bishops Gerhard Ulrich a Karl-Heinrich Manzke, and an election of presiding bishop VELKD. On this function has been elected bishop Gerhard Ulrich from Evangelical-lutheran Church in Northern Germany.

Important theme of synod were proposed connection between Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), Union of Evangelical Churches (UEK) and General Synod VELKD. On the appropriate model have working formed group in which are representatives all three parts.

Within the evening program spoke general bishop ECAC Miloš Klátik. In his contribution spoke about current topics. He emphasized that a lot of evangelical women from Slovakia are working in Germany in area of elderly care. Men working on structures. It makes the work in our congregation harder. Number of children which parents works in abroad is increasing. In his contribution also spoke about the project of our church „500 trees of Reformation“. He thanked to VELKD for very good cooperation with Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovakia.

The meeting of General Synod was ended on Saturday 8th, November 2014 by evening devotion.

General Synod VELKD was followed the Synod of Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) in 9. – 12. November 2014. The most important agenda item was the election of new chairman Council of Evangelical Church in Germany. As a chairman was elected bishop Evangelical-lutheran church in Bavaria Heinrich Bedford-Strohm.