Address from Archbishop Martin Modéus, Uppsala, Church of Sweden
28 of July 2024:
President of the EECMY Most Rev Dr Yonas Yigezu Dibiza, Synod Presidents and leadership of the EECMY, Participants, Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ.
As archbishop of Uppsala, Church of Sweden, I am honored to be here with all of you, all friends in the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus, and guests to the EECMY from abroad. Together, we celebrate this day and share the joy in being called to proclaim and to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
For me it is the first time in Ethiopia, and even if I am a stranger here, I feel that I am with brothers and sisters. We belong together in the Ecumenical movement. We are the body of Christ. We are one family.
The links between the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus and the Church of Sweden are strong. We share a common history. Through missionaries from the Swedish Evangelical Mission in the midst of the 19 Century the first contacts were made. Soon, close cooperation started with Ethiopian missionaries.
To mention one of them, Onesimos Nesib was educated in Sweden. He then meant a lot in bringing the Gospel to Western Ethiopia as one important starting point of what is today the EECMY – the biggest member church of the Lutheran World Federation.
Thus, the relation between our two churches has been there from decade to decade. We have been walking, working, serving Christ, and praying together.
Standing here in front of you, I am thankful to God that we look forward to doing this also in times to come. We build our future together on our common legacy and roots. In Matthew 9 verse 37 and 38, Jesus said to his disciples “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
We share in the witness of Jesus Christ in our contexts and, to deepen our experiences of the grace of God, we are called to share more of our experiences of the life in church and society with each other. Our churches share concerns, resources, and experiences as parts of the body of Christ.
In mutuality and in interdependency, we remember that the most important in being Christian and living the life of the Church is to be dependent on the grace of Jesus Christ. And through Him we are given as gifts to one another.
The Church of Sweden is constantly reshaping our ways of working and organizing to keep fulfilling our mission as part of the Church of Jesus Christ. This like all other churches led by the Holy Spirit.
The Church of Sweden is constantly reshaping our ways of working and organizing to keep fulfilling our mission as part of the Church of Jesus Christ. This like all other churches led by the Holy Spirit.
In order to, in new times, reflect on the role of the church in society and sharpening our eyes on how to devise strategies for developing and better utilizing our resources, the Church of Sweden needs to evolve our identity of being interdependent as part of the worldwide church. This has really been highlighted to me during my days together with you in the EECMY.
May we do our best to fulfil the legacy of the Stockholm Ecumenical Meeting 1925 called to by my predecessor, archbishop Nathan Söderblom. That meeting is still an important ground for the ecumenical movement – the Life and work.
Next year we will be remembering the 1925 meeting. We will do it through performing The Ecumenical Year 2025 together with the Christian Council of Sweden and The World Council of Churches. The theme will be “Time for the peace of God”. I will take the opportunity to invite representatives of the EECMY to celebrate this occasion with us in Sweden.
I strongly believe that participating in God's Mission is a holistic and corporate responsibility of all God’s people. We have a joint aims in both churches to serve the whole person. Thus, by virtue of our shared heritage, and, as fruit of our long-standing relationship, we belong to each other and have a common task to accomplish for the furtherance of the Kingdom of God. This also to reverend the important theological legacy of the late general secretary of the EECMY Gudina Tumsa. In this spirit Church of Sweden has for many years being partners with DASSC and EGST.
I am – together with the whole of Church of Sweden – looking forward to walk, work and pray together with you in the EECMY in mutual sharing and learning. I am looking forward to doing this as part of your preparation for the 70 years anniversary of the EECMY.
We also serve together in the Lutheran World Federation and in the World Council of Churches as strong members, participating in shaping the future of the Lutheran Communion and the Ecumenical movement. I am so glad that President Yonas is the regional president for Africa in the LWF.
During this celebration, we share with you, our friends in the EECMY, the commemoration of your martyrs giving their life for the sake of the Holy Gospel and Jesus Christ our Savior – the General secretary of EECMY Gudina Tumsa but also Ato Kebede Bekele, Evangelist Mekel Kenyas, Tsedele Wold Yohance, Zellksh Seme, Mekuria Wondu and Ato Abrham Wolde.
To remember the struggle and witness of the victims in the history of the Church give strength to you and your friends in the worldwide Church of Christ to be clear and sharp in proclaiming the Gospel and contributing to shaping a society and world in peace and justice. Thus, as they did, we continue in our Christian witness and give this legacy to future generations.
Church of Sweden would like to contribute to the printing of the book commemorating the martyrs of EECMY.
It is an honor to be here to learn from EECMY as a part of the body of Christ. We meet and we get to know each other; we share the gospel and life. We are different parts of the same body. We belong together, with integrity, just like a family. We are churches together and we have our struggles, and we need each others support and prayers.
We share in your grief in relation to all lost lives and injured by the landslide, and we pray together with you.
Church of Sweden needs the relation with the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus to fulfil our mission in Sweden and as part of the worldwide Church of Jesus Christ. This in order to work for the holistic mission sharing the Gospel and as part of that struggling for the integrity of the creation, the dignity of all human beings, peace and a good society where resources are shared to live in accordance with the will of God.
As it is written in in the first letter to the Corinthians: “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1 Cor. 12:26-27).
In the Constitution of the Church of Sweden it is said that the role of the bishop is to be a sign, a sign that all parts of the Church of Christ is one in him. This is my call and role as archbishop of the Church of Sweden.
As a sign of appreciation for receiving me as your guest, rejoicing in our long-standing relation, I bring, to be received by President Yonas, an easter candle made in a convent of Church of Sweden.
These candles are found in almost every church of Church of Sweden, and that means also in my cathedral in Uppsala. It is lit on Easter morning when the congregation proclaims: ”Christ is risen – indeed he is risen”. I bring it to you as a sign of our common calling to bear witness that Christ is the light of the world, and to proclaim the Gospel.
I look forward to coming and visit your prospected national cathedral of the EECMY.
I was really touched by the prayer that you offered me and the other guests to the EECMY yesterday. Prayers go directly into the heart of God and your prayer for me also went directly to my heart. I will pray for you. Please continue to pray for me, for the Church of Sweden and the society of Sweden.
May God bless the EECMY, and Ethiopia, in all efforts in bringing peace and a good future to this country and to the world.
God bless you, dear friends in Christ!
