On his first visit as LWF President, Bishop Henrik Stubkjær witnessed the multi-faceted work of the two largest churches in the global Lutheran communion
The sisters of the community of Hope in Moshi, Tanzania, are commited to working with renewable energey and climate friendly agriculture. Photo: LWF/A.Danielsson
President Stubkjær praises LWF’s largest member churches for putting holistic mission principles into practice
(LWI) - “Fast-growing churches that are putting into practice the principle of holistic mission.” That was how the new president of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), Danish Bishop Henrik Stubkjær, described the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT) and The Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY) at the conclusion of a week-long visit to those two countries.
On his first trip to LWF member churches since his election at the Krakow Assembly last September, President Stubkjær visited Arusha and Moshi in northern Tanzania from 16 to 18 April, before travelling to the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, from 19 to 21 April. Between them, the churches in the two East African nations number almost 20 million people, making them the largest members of the LWF.
In Tanzania, the LWF leader was able to see first-hand the work of the Tumaini University Makumira , launching a new five-year plan for the institution which has been training pastors and lay ministers for the church in Tanzania and beyond for the past seventy years. Accompanied by ELCT’s presiding bishop Alex Malasusa, and by EECMY President and LWF Vice-President for Africa, Rev. Dr Yonas Dibisa, the delegation met with university students and staff. They also enjoyed a performance at the new Cultural Centre, which works to preserve local cultures and traditions through music, song, dance and other forms of artistic expression.
It is important for all of us to see the way that preaching the gospel goes hand in hand with social engagement.
LWF President Bishop Henrik Stubkjær
The following day, President Stubkjær toured the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, part of a network of 24 hospitals and 148 health facilities which provide services for thousands of people, particularly in rural and isolated areas. Noting that the ELCT provides up to 15 percent of all healthcare services in the country, the LWF leader said: “It is important for all of us to see the way that preaching the gospel goes hand in hand with social engagement – not just for the church but for all people in Tanzania.”
In Ethiopia, Bishop Stubkjær and his delegation visited both the church and the LWF World Service program, which has been providing humanitarian aid and development support in the country for over half a century. Established as a response to famine in the early 1970s, the program currently focuses on support and resilience building among people suffering from conflicts in the north and west of the country. During the visit to Addis Ababa, the LWF delegation heard from several EECMY synod presidents about members of their congregations who have been killed in recent months.
The Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre is part of a network of 24 hospitals and 148 health facilities that are run by the ELCT. Photo: LWF/A.Danielsson
EECMY President Dibisa noted that peacebuilding and conflict resolution are among the priorities of the EECMY, working together with leaders of majority Orthodox church and the smaller Catholic community in Ethiopia who have recently agreed to establish a National Council of Churches in the country. During the visit, President Stubkjær held talks with Patriarch Mathias of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and with Catholic Cardinal Berhaneyesus Souraphiel, reaffirming the shared commitment of the churches to serving the most vulnerable communities.
Serving the whole person
Education, mission and financial sustainability are also key pillars of the EECMY, which has grown from 20.000 members when it was formally established as a church in 1959 to almost 12 million members today. Guided by its vision of “serving the whole person,” the church is strongly committed to proclamation, service, and witness. Its seminary houses over 400 residential students and trains over 4,000 men and women in its in-person and online programs for theological studies, music and media, management and leadership.
Enriching morning worship at Mekane Yesus Seminary, was an opportunity for LWF President Stubkjær to connect with teachers and students from the 43 synods of the church. Photo: LWF/A.Danielsson
LWF President Stubkjær also visited projects runs by EECMY’s Development and Social Services Commission, including a center for children with special needs. The Commission coordinates 30 branch offices which address the most urgent needs of local communities through initiatives ranging from food security and climate resilience to healthcare and WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) projects.
President Stubkjær joined worshippers at the oldest Lutheran church in country, built over a century ago. He praised the work of the church. “I have been so inspired by the vibrant witness of Mekane Yesus,” he said. “Thank you for welcoming us as family.” Photo: LWF/A.Danielsson
The LWF leader also had official meetings with Ethiopia’s President Sahle-Work Zewde and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, both of whom affirmed the important role that the EECMY plays in the life of the nation. Before leaving Addis Ababa, President Stubkjær attended worship at the oldest Lutheran church in country, built over a century ago. He praised the work of the church and its ability to develop activities to financially support the growth of its multi-faceted ministry. “I have been so inspired by the vibrant witness of Mekane Yesus,” he said. “Thank you for welcoming us as family.”
