Synod Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Georgia

Tbilisi

The Annual Synod Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Georgia was held on November 21. Honored guests of the assembly were representatives from the Armenian Apostolic and Georgian Orthodox churches and Klaus Rit from partners in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Wurrtemburg. 

The main work of the synod consisted of hearing the 2015 reports from the synod council as well as adopting a budget for 2016. 

The offerings and expenses for 2016 are not expected to change much, and that means that the ELCG remains dependent on outside sponsors. Something new this year is the transfer of additional funds from the central office to congregations for diaconal work among congregational members. As usual the Synod listened to reports from church council presidents and from the coordinators of womens', mens' and children's work as well as the head of the summer camps committee. 

The synod assembly made a number of important decisions:

1. Gayan Melkonya-Chikhradze took over for Nanya Menteshashvili as the representative of the Rustaveli congregation in the synod council. 

2. The make up of the Presidum was changed to include the treasurer, insofar as it is critical for this church officer to take part in important decisions of the Presidium.

3. Natali Kaiser was named the ELCG treasure; her qualifications include having a degree in economics and being fluent in German, which is important for contacts with German partners. In this way all of the responsibilities of Christina Hummel have been split among three persons: the chair of the Evangelical Lutheran Diaconal Service of Georgia Larisa Babaeva, the accountant of the ELCG Tima Aresheva and the ELCG treasurer Natali Kaiser. We wish God's blessing to this team of servants! 

Synod delegates considered two documents - "A Petition to the City Council (Sakrebulo) of Tbilisi Requesting Renaming a City Street in Honor of Martin Luther" and "A Resolution Concerning the German Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ukraine (GELCU)." The request to the city council is made upon the basis of the contribution of German immigrants to the culture, architecture, industry and agriculture of Georgia and is tied with two anniversary - the 200th year anniversary of immigration of Swabians from Wurttemburg to Georgia and the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. The resolution related to the GELCU is tied with the situation of the church in Ukraine and the loss of unity in the church. Both documents were approved unanimously by synod delegates.

The work of the synod assembly was done in a constructive atmosphere in which it was clear that everyone was looking for decisions that would be for the good of our church and to the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Irina Soley