The Rev Dr Jaakko Rusama, a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Finland and a previous General Secretary of the Finnish Ecumnenical Council, has been elected Lutheran Co-Moderator of the Anglican-Lutheran Society, and his Anglican Co-Moderator is to be the Rt Rev Michael Ipgrave, Bishop of Woolwich.

They were both elected at the Society’s Annual General Meeting held in London, England, last Saturday, 9th March to succeed Bishop Jana Jeruma-Grinberga (Lutheran) and Bishop Rupert Hoare (Anglican).

The Society has members in 32 countries across the world, though the majority are found in Scandinavia and the Baltic region, Germany, the United Kingdom and North America.  It was founded in 1984 to provide a forum in which members of Anglican and Lutheran churches could learn more about each other’s traditions and become better aware of the developing relationships between them in the wider ecumenical scene.  It encourages its members to create opportunities for individuals and congregations to worship and study together, to make friendships, to support the witness and mission of local church communities, and to pray for the unity of the Church, especially between Lutherans and Anglicans worldwide.

Among other things, the Society organises international conferences.  The most recent was last September when more than 60 theological students and people new to authorised ministry, both lay and ordained, from 16 countries from many parts of Europe and Africa, met with members of the Anglo-Nordic-Baltic Theological Conference to consider Christian Ministry in Tomorrow’s World.  Next year’s conference in Hungary will be entitled ‘Fear not, little Flock’ : the Vocation of Minority Churches Today.   

The membership is delighted that Dr Rusama and Bishop Ipgrave are willing help to shape and develop the Society’s activities during the coming years.  The retiring Co-Moderators were thanked for their leadership and service over the past years by the Anglican President of the Society, the Very Rev Dr John Arnold.  Bishops Jeruma-Grinberga and Hoare responded, ‘We thank God for the privilege of serving this remarkable Society which is, in its own way, a society of friends.  We believe that it will continue, within the constraints of limited funds, to encourage prayer and practical work towards church unity.  May God our Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer, continue to bless the Anglican-Lutheran Society and its members in the years to come.’

For further information contact the Society’s Secretary:

Canon Dick Lewis,
dick@ccwatford.u-net.com
0044 (0)1 777 719200