EHO director Anna Brtka Valent participated in the workshop on the theme “Conviviality: Diaconal Life in Diversity”, organized by the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church (EELK) 22-25 January in Talinn, Estonia.

The Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church (EELK) hosted this week a group of diaconal practitioners from The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) member churches in Europe. Welcoming representatives from 11 churches in the region, EELK Archbishop and LWF Vice-President for Central Eastern Europe Urmas Viilma explained the critical role of the church in advocating for peace, including its support toward Ukrainian refugees.

Participants at the 22-25 January workshop are coordinators of diaconal programs under the LWF European Diaconal Process, which has been ongoing since 2011. At the workshop on the theme “Conviviality: Diaconal Life in Diversity,” they are developing a new learning program toward more open approaches to diakonia in societies that are increasingly diverse. A visit to the EELK Harkujärve church was an opportunity to experience conviviality in practice at a safe space where all can share and build community around everyday life. 

The online learning program will be launched later this year together with guidelines for congregations, church organizations, teachers and students of diakonia and other fields. 

Photos courtesy of: Urmas Roos