Dear brothers and sisters in the congregations of Crimea!
We, the brother churches of the ELCER and the GELCU, recognizing our common history and life together in a single Church for many centuries, in an attempt to maintain spiritual unity and to multiple our joint witness, taking into account the recent events which brought about changes in the political and legal statutes of our countries, with the goal of maintaining fellowship and in keeping good order among congregations of the faithful based on God's word and in harmony with our ecclesiastic tradition declare: despite the various changes in the political life of our countries, we are in spiritual unity and in full fellowship with one another. We support one another in our ministry. GELC at present, as earlier, maintains responsibility for the spiritual care of Evangelical Lutheran congregations of Crimea. ELCER and GELCU together accompany the congregations of Crimea during the process of legal registration. We respect the decisions of each congregation regarding their decision to belong to one or the other Church in the future.
Together we witness before God and people of the unity and indivisibility of the Church of Jesus Christ, despite difficult political situations and separation among peoples.
We ask God for the gift of wisdom for making all the decision necessary for peace and harmony between the peoples of Ukraine and Russia.
We, the brother churches of the ELCER and the GELCU, recognizing our common history and life together in a single Church for many centuries, in an attempt to maintain spiritual unity and to multiple our joint witness, taking into account the recent events which brought about changes in the political and legal statutes of our countries, with the goal of maintaining fellowship and in keeping good order among congregations of the faithful based on God's word and in harmony with our ecclesiastic tradition declare: despite the various changes in the political life of our countries, we are in spiritual unity and in full fellowship with one another. We support one another in our ministry. GELC at present, as earlier, maintains responsibility for the spiritual care of Evangelical Lutheran congregations of Crimea. ELCER and GELCU together accompany the congregations of Crimea during the process of legal registration. We respect the decisions of each congregation regarding their decision to belong to one or the other Church in the future.
Together we witness before God and people of the unity and indivisibility of the Church of Jesus Christ, despite difficult political situations and separation among peoples.
We ask God for the gift of wisdom for making all the decision necessary for peace and harmony between the peoples of Ukraine and Russia.
Tbilisi, Georgia. May 9, 2014
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