Slovak Bishop Klátik Underscores Church Responsibility toward the Hungry

Call to Preserve Christian Heritage

BRATISLAVA, Slovak Republic/GENEVA, 15 March 2010 (LWI) – Bishop Dr Miloš Klátik of the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in the Slovak Republic (ECAC-SR) has reminded churches of their responsibility in securing food for the hungry.

“The shocking fact that millions of children and adults are undernourished calls us Christians to take responsibility for our brothers and sisters and to do everything we can to change the situation so that those who are hungry today will tomorrow have their daily bread, basic food, drinking water and health,” said Klátik, in a 14 March sermon to the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) European region pre-assembly consultation.

“The prayer for daily bread teaches us to trust in God’s providence. It teaches us to rejoice in the apparently small things of daily life as gifts from God’s hand,” said the ECAC-SR bishop, in the context of the 13-17 March LWF pre-assembly.

“We thank God for his blessing, above all for the greatest gift of all, for our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave his life for us in love and saved us. He is the bread of eternal life,” said Klátik, reflecting on the July 2010 LWF Eleventh Assembly theme, “Give Us Today Our Daily Bread.”

Those assisting in the service held at the Lutheran Church (Veľký kostol/Big Church) in Bratislava included Rev. Martin Sefranko, curator Michael Sebesta and some of the pre-assembly participants.

LWF Vice President Huovinen Affirms Call to Care for Others

Greeting the pre-assembly, Bishop Dr Eero Huovinen from Helsinki (Finland), LWF vice president for the Nordic Region, affirmed the message from Klátik’s sermon with the words, “God gives, God creates, God blesses us. It is thus a challenge for us to do something for our brothers and sisters.”

Klátik and Sefranko presented LWF General Secretary Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko and the LWF Europe secretary, Rev. Dr Eva-Sibylle Vogel-Mfato, with pictures on the history of Christianity and of the Slovak Protestant church.

Bratislava Mayor Underlines Christian Heritage

In a message read out at a reception in Bratislava town hall, Lord Mayor Andrej Ďurkovský urged the churches to preserve their “mission” and their Christian heritage, while not forgetting the future. The greeting also expressed appreciation for the contribution of the Protestant church to the country’s development.

Participants in the pre-assembly consultation include 67 delegates, stewards and advisors from 35 LWF member churches in the Europe region, representatives of national committees, church organizations and related networks, and LWF staff.

The LWF has 43 member churches in the Europe Region with a total of about 37.2 million members. (437 words)

Journey | Europe Pre-Assembly Consultation

15.03.2010

Slovak Bishop Klátik Underscores Church Responsibility toward the Hungry

Call to Preserve Christian Heritage

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