Meeting of the Assembly Committee in Eisenach. Photo: GNC/LWF - F. Hübner
As an association of member churches, decisions in the German National Committee of the Lutheran World Federation (GNC/LWF) are made by the member churches. To this end, representatives of our eleven churches come together in various committees.
The bodies of the German National Committee of the Lutheran World Federation (GNC/LWF) are:
1. The Assembly of the GNC/LWF
2. The Chairperson of the GNC/LWF
3. The Executive Committee of GNC/LWF (EC/GNC)
Assembly of the GNC/LWF
All eleven member churches are represented in the Assembly by at least one person. The most important decisions for the GNC/LWF are made here, for example the Chairperson of the GNC/LWF is elected here as well as the Chairperson of the EC/GNC. The Assembly appoints the management of the GNC/LWF and appoints a Committee for Church Cooperation and World Service (Program Committee). It also elects the Chairperson of the Program Committee, forms an Assembly Committee and appoints other committees. It is responsible for passing resolutions on the budget of the GNC/LWF, passing resolutions on statements of the GNC/LWF and advising on central issues of the church fellowship.
Chairperson of the GNC/LWF
The Chairperson of the GNC/LWF is a senior clergy person from one of the member churches of the GNC/LWF. He or she is not an archbishop and has no authority over the eleven member churches, but chairs the meetings and represents the GNC/LWF externally and vis-à-vis the member churches and the LWF.
The current Chairperson of the GNC/LWF is Kristina Kühnbaum-Schmidt, leading Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany.
Chairperson of the GNC/LWF, leading Bishop Kristina Kühnbaum-Schmidt. Photo: GNC/LWF
The Chairperson is elected by the GNC/LWF Assembly for the duration of the term of office of the LWF Council.
Executive Committee of the GNC/LWF (EC/GNC)
The EC/GNC is smaller than the Assembly. Around eight people meet two to three times a year, always in the run-up to the Assembly meetings. The EC/GNC is responsible for all tasks that are not assigned to other bodies. The tasks of the EC/GNC include, in particular, discussing the total volume of financial contributions to the LWF, preparing the draft budget and approving the annual financial statements, deciding on individual financial issues, appointing Church Executives to the GNC/LWF, preparing the meetings of the GNC/LWF Assembly and coordinating the committees.