ANADIAN LUTHERANISM TODAY - Lutheran Church-Canada

16 THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN September/October 2012
International News
www.canadianlutheran.ca
German bishop elected Chairman of the International Lutheran Council
NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. - On
September 20, the International
Lutheran Council (ILC) elected
its officers for the new triennium,
with Bishop Hans-Jörg Voigt of
the Independent Lutheran Church
in Germany elected to serve as
Chairman of the ILC.
“It was a very hard decision to stay
for this election,” admitted Chairman
Voigt, “but I accept the election.”
He continued: “I ask our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ to support me in
this service, and for the welfare of the
ILC and this conference.”
Bishop Voigt has served as
Interim Chairman of the ILC since
2010, when previous Chairman
Gerald Kieschnick was not reelected
as President of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod. The
ILC’s constitution requires the
Chairman to be actively serving
as the head of a member church
body. As a result, Bishop Voigt,
Vice-Chairman of the ILC at the
time, was automatically advanced
to Interim Chairman.
The assembly of the ILC also
elected President Gijsbertus van
Hattem of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in Belgium to serve as
Secretary for the Executive Council.
In addition to the Chairman and
Secretary, the Executive Council
of the ILC is composed of a Vice-
Chairman and five World Area
Representatives. According to the
ILC constitution, members elect
church bodies rather than individuals
to fill the world area roles.
Elected to represent the Africa
world area was the Lutheran Church
of Nigeria. The Lutheran Church of
the Philippines will represent the
Asia world area. The Latin America
world area will be represented by the
Lutheran Church of Brazil. For the
Europe world area, the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in England was
elected. Finally, Lutheran Church–
Canada was elected to represent the
North America world area.
The Vice-Chairman of the ILC
is elected not by the assembly
Chairman Hans-Jörg Voigt
but by the Executive Council
from among its World Area
Representatives. Following the
convention, the newly elected
executive reappointed President
Robert Bugbee of Lutheran
Church–Canada to a second term
as Vice-Chairman of the ILC.
The executive also appointed
Rev. Dr. Albert Collver III as the
ILC’s Executive Secretary for the
new triennium. Dr. Collver takes
over from Rev. Dr. Ralph Mayan
(former President of Lutheran
Church–Canada). Dr. Mayan had
been serving in an interim position
following the end of Rev. Dr. Samuel
H. Nafzger’s longstanding service
in the position. Dr. Nafzger’s
service was recognized by the ILC’s
2012 convention at a banquet held
in his honour.