Evangelical-Lutheran Mission in Lower Saxony
Encyclopedia
The Evangelical-Lutheran Mission in Lower Saxony or ELM is a German Protestant mission organisation.
). Even today young men are trained for service in the church worldwide at the Hermannsburg Mission Seminary (Missionsseminar Hermannsburg).
On 25 May 1977 the ELM was founded as a common facility for the Protestant-Lutheran state churches of Hanover, Brunswick
and Schaumburg-Lippe from the amalgamation of the Hermannsburg Mission Centre (also called the Hermannsburg Mission) with the Hildesheim HQ of the Protestant-Lutheran Mission (Leipzig Mission) of Erlangen.
It works closely with the Hessian state churches, the Protestant Church of Alsace-Lorraine (Augsburg Confession) and over 20 mission and friends' societies.
It retains the legal status of a charity. The headquarters of the ELM (Lower Saxony) is in Hermannsburg
. A branch in Hildesheim
was closed on 30 June 2006.
Following the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Leipzig Mission was disbanded in 1992 and the Leipzig Evangelical-Lutheran Mission was founded with its base in Leipzig. The focus of its work is India. However, the ELM continues to carry out its own work in India as an independent partner alongside the Leipzig Mission.
In 2007 it was working in cooperation with 19 churches in 17 countries abroad. The main focus of effort is in Ethiopia
, southern Africa (South Africa
, Botswana
, Malawi
, Swaziland
), Latin America (Brazil
, Peru
), India
and non-European Russia
.
In addition to theologians the ELM dispatches medical specialists, teachers, craftsmen and farming and administrative experts abroad. In addition it has an annual voluntary programme to give young men the opportunity to work with a partner church and experience different cultures. The ELM is a recognised sending organisation as part of the Volunteer Service of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development
across the world.
The official publication of the ELM is the journal Mitteilen ("Inform") which is issued 6 times a year jointly with other missions.
In the Ludwig-Harms House in Hermannsburg, a conference and management centre, there is an exhibition called Candace - Mission possible which gives an insight into the worldwide work of the ELM and its partner churches.
Since 2003, Pastor Martina Helmer-Pham Xuan has been the director of the ELM.
The ELM is a member of the Evangelical Mission in Germany (EMW).
Purpose
- Our mission is the holistic proclamation of the Gospel in word and deed, through people and projects, in a context which is appropriate to our partner and member churches.
History
On 12 October 1849 the Hermannsburg pastor, Ludwig Harms, began training the first missionaries. At the outset it was called the Hermannsburg Mission (Hermannsburger MissionHermannsburger Mission
----The Hermannsburger Mission was founded in 1849 in Hermannsburg by Louis Harms. Its function has now been merged into the work of the Evangelical-Lutheran Mission in Lower Saxony....
). Even today young men are trained for service in the church worldwide at the Hermannsburg Mission Seminary (Missionsseminar Hermannsburg).
On 25 May 1977 the ELM was founded as a common facility for the Protestant-Lutheran state churches of Hanover, Brunswick
Evangelical Lutheran State Church of Brunswick
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Brunswick is a Lutheran church in the German states of Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. The seat of the Landesbischof is Wolfenbüttel. Its district as a Landeskirche covers the former State of Brunswick in the borders of 1945...
and Schaumburg-Lippe from the amalgamation of the Hermannsburg Mission Centre (also called the Hermannsburg Mission) with the Hildesheim HQ of the Protestant-Lutheran Mission (Leipzig Mission) of Erlangen.
It works closely with the Hessian state churches, the Protestant Church of Alsace-Lorraine (Augsburg Confession) and over 20 mission and friends' societies.
It retains the legal status of a charity. The headquarters of the ELM (Lower Saxony) is in Hermannsburg
Hermannsburg
Hermannsburg is a municipality in the Celle district, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated at the River Örtze, approx. 15 kilometers east of Bergen and 30 kilometers north of Celle.-Division of the municipality:...
. A branch in Hildesheim
Hildesheim
Hildesheim is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located in the district of Hildesheim, about 30 km southeast of Hanover on the banks of the Innerste river, which is a small tributary of the Leine river...
was closed on 30 June 2006.
Following the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Leipzig Mission was disbanded in 1992 and the Leipzig Evangelical-Lutheran Mission was founded with its base in Leipzig. The focus of its work is India. However, the ELM continues to carry out its own work in India as an independent partner alongside the Leipzig Mission.
The ELM today
Today, the Evangelical-Lutheran Mission in Lower Saxony operates worldwide, sending staff out to the Lutheran churches in Africa, Asia and Latin America and financially supporting their communities and projects.In 2007 it was working in cooperation with 19 churches in 17 countries abroad. The main focus of effort is in Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
, southern Africa (South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
, Malawi
Malawi
The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...
, Swaziland
Swaziland
Swaziland, officially the Kingdom of Swaziland , and sometimes called Ngwane or Swatini, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, bordered to the north, south and west by South Africa, and to the east by Mozambique...
), Latin America (Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
), India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and non-European Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.
In addition to theologians the ELM dispatches medical specialists, teachers, craftsmen and farming and administrative experts abroad. In addition it has an annual voluntary programme to give young men the opportunity to work with a partner church and experience different cultures. The ELM is a recognised sending organisation as part of the Volunteer Service of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development
Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development
The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development is a ministry in Germany. Its main office is at the former German Chancellery in Bonn with a second major office at the Europahaus in Berlin....
across the world.
The official publication of the ELM is the journal Mitteilen ("Inform") which is issued 6 times a year jointly with other missions.
In the Ludwig-Harms House in Hermannsburg, a conference and management centre, there is an exhibition called Candace - Mission possible which gives an insight into the worldwide work of the ELM and its partner churches.
Since 2003, Pastor Martina Helmer-Pham Xuan has been the director of the ELM.
The ELM is a member of the Evangelical Mission in Germany (EMW).
Sources and Literature
- Mittendrin - Das ELM stellt sich vor. Hermannsburg 2003
- Helmer-Pham Xuan, Martina (Hg.): Jahresbericht 2006/2007. Hermannsburg 2006.
- Lüdemann, Ernst-August (Hg.): Vision Gemeinde weltweit - 150 Jahre Hermannsburger Mission und Ev.luth. Missionswerk in Niedersachsen (ELM). Hermannsburg 2000.
External links
- http://www.elm-mission.net/