Embrace the world

Lutheran, The, Oct 2004 by Melander, Rochelle, Eppley, Harold

Global Mission Events share the treasures of countries

"God, the giver of life, lays claim on you," ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson reminded participants during opening worship at the Global Mission Event in Milwaukee. This baptismal claim means "God grants us great freedom and profound responsibilities" and that "to look another in the face is to see the image of God."

Participants gathered around the theme "Claimed by God's Grace for the Sake of the World" July 15-18 in Bozeman, Mont., and July 29-Aug. 1 in Milwaukee. (see page 44.) The events urged participants to embrace the world with courage and offered chances to taste, touch, smell, see and hear the treasures of many countries.

At the opening worship, dancers waved a river of blue fabric through the crowd, symbolizing the waters of baptism. Participants carried paint buckets, watering cans and milk jugs full of water from Montana, Florida, India, El Salvador, and Midwest lakes and rivers that was poured into the baptismal font. As the crowd affirmed their baptism by shouting, "Yes!" teenagers used branches to sprinkle the congregation with water.

At Friday's plenary, everyone was handed a bullet-shell cross from Liberia as they entered worship. Ann Leymah Gbowee of the Women in Peace-building Network in Liberia (August 2003, page 50) was one of three women who spoke of their experiences bringing peace to troubled communities. She recounted 14 years of civil conflict that has turned children into soldiers, rape victims, exiles and orphans. In 2003, the Christian and Muslim women of her country confronted the violence and embarked on peace activism. "Our faith became the light of our journey," she said. "We became hope in hopeless situations."

Maria Erling from the Lutheran Seminary at Gettysburg (Pa.), one of the teaching theologians from ELCA colleges and seminaries who were a feature of this year's events, asked the audience to consider, "How is God calling you into new relationships as you hear these [global] stories?"

Workshops, art & Globalfest

Besides plenary sessions and worship, participants attended seven of more than 100 Global University workshops on everything from world percussion to Asian representations of Jesus. At the Art Corner, participants worked on one of several projects using fibers, including bookmarks, prayer arrows and a coiled pot.

Ahighlight was Saturday's Globalfest. Bare-footed children hopped in mud, making bricks with Operation Bootstrap, which provides educational and health-care opportunities in Africa. Women tried on native African clothing. Teens made tortillas. Amid eating and creating, drums and cymbals announced a bright red and gold Chinese dragon that danced through the crowd to cheers, laughter and applause.

The Milwaukee event concluded with worship at which Bishop Margot K�ssmann of Hannover, Germany, preached, saying: "Churches have to stand up for human rights in the name of peace because in every human being we see the image of God."

After receiving communion, each participant both gave and received this blessing with water: "You are claimed. Now, go out with courage!"