Covenant Agreement

Shared at:

ELCA Companion Synod Consultation of the Americas, Nov 16-18, 2001
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COVENANT AGREEMENT

between

The United Evangelical Lutheran Church
in Argentina and Uruguay

and

The Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

INTRODUCTION

With joy and thanksgiving to God, this covenant relationship is established between the United Evangelical Lutheran Church in Argentina and Uruguay and the Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. As companions in Christ, we participate in each other's life and mission through communication, learning, prayer, and sharing the gifts we have received from God. This relationship is mutual; we both give and receive as brothers and sisters in one holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.

PURPOSE

By the grace of God, we are establishing this partnership in order to share our common humanity and life of faith. While we recognize and affirm our cultural differences, we seek to manifest the unity in the life and mission we have through our crucified and risen Lord Jesus Christ.

COMMITMENT

Our companionship is one of mutual trust in which we accept one another as equal partners. We respect the institutional church structures and policies of each body and their liturgical and theological expressions of our common Lutheran Communion. In addition, we strive to be open to the leading of God's Holy Spirit as new understandings and insights enrich us.

 

EXPRESSIONS OF OUR COVENANT RELATIONSHIP

In establishing this covenant relationship, we intend to do the following:

  1. Pray at synod worship services for our companion synod and its mission and ministry, and encourage congregations and individuals to include such prayers regularly in their worship life.
  2. Learn about the other's history, geography, culture, and current affairs. Such nformation will be shared throughout the synod through preaching, teaching, written materials, personal conversations, and other appropriate methods.
  3. Exchange communications, e.g., letters, cultural, educational and devotional materials, sermons and synodical mailings.
  4. Exchange visits, including both clergy and lay members of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church in Argentina and Uruguay and the Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
  5. Establish additional congregation-to-congregation (or mission area, district, institution, or agency) relationships.
  6. Support projects mutually agreed upon by the United Evangelical Lutheran Church in Argentina and Uruguay and the Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
  7. Share our God-given resources with our partner church.

As companions in Christ, we, the United Evangelical Lutheran Church in Argentina and Uruguay and the Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, affirm this covenant. Together we pray that in our mission and ministry as partners we will be both faithful and fruitful through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

The Rev. Angel F. Furlan, President
United Evangelical Lutheran Church in Argentina and Uruguay

The Rev. David R. Strobel, Bishop
Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
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