Tag Archive for: Kenya

Faces of Faith ā€“ John

/in

John Michoro, a member at Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ-Kenya, strives to bring more people to Jesus by being a shining example of a servant leader. As a son of a Kenyan pastor, John has always had Jesus as part of his life. He dedicated his efforts this past year to bring the Central Africa Medical Mission (CAMM) to Karima, Kenya, as an outreach tool for their church. He worked closely with CAMM, the Kenyan Kirinyaga County government, and the church to organize the logistics, financials, and communication required for the medical camp in Kenya that was held in February 2024. They served close to 1,500 patients during the four-day camp. With only one percent of the population in the surrounding community professing the Lutheran faith, John has high hopes this clinic has not only served these patientsā€™ physical needs but will also be a way to touch their souls by hearing the love of Jesus. The impact of love and teamwork he has seen during the planning and running of the medical camp solidifies his faith even more. He observed many different groups of varying backgrounds from the community come together and share their love for each other, just as Jesus showed his love for so many. Johnā€™s face lights up in a huge smile as he talks about his faith and shares it with others!

From Angela Sievert, Central Africa Medical Mission (CAMM) committee chairwoman

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Faces of Faith ā€“ Elijah

/in

Elijah Adongo is a TELL student from Nairobi, Kenya. In March 2023, he attended a special TELL event in Nairobi. Some students had studied together online for years, but this was the first time seeing one another in-person. Baptism was the topic for the Bible study. In Africa, immersion is considered the only valid form of baptism in many churches, and infant Baptism rarely happens. ā€œThis is our belief and practice concerning Baptism because this was the mantle that was passed to us from others.ā€ Thatā€™s the repeating theme I often hear. Gathered around a table and Godā€™s Word, the Holy Spirit lifted that mantle and replaced it with a clear understanding of Godā€™s gift of Baptism.

Two days later, Elijah invited me to his home where he asked if his four-year-old daughter could be baptized. After a devotion and assuring Mikayla that she wasnā€™t going to be immersed, the angels in heaven rejoiced as another precious child was brought into Godā€™s family through Baptism. By Godā€™s grace, Elijah continues his studies with TELL and shares what he has learned with others.

From Joel Hoff, TELL missionary in Africa

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Faces of Faith – Eunita

/in , ,

“I want to emulate Jesus’ presence, Jesus’ service to his people.”

Meet Eunita Odongo, a deaconess in WELS’ sister church, the Lutheran Congregation in Mission for Christ – Kenya. Hear how she’s giving back to her community and spreading the gospel message in this special Faces of Faith video.

Learn more about mission work in Kenya and throughout the continent of Africa at wels.net/africa.

Faces of Faith – Eric

/in , ,

“Surely, when you find the Lord, life changes.”

Meet Eric Kebeno, baptized member at the Lutheran Congregation in Mission for Christ – Kenya congregation in Soweto. Hear how the gospel has changed his life in this special Faces of Faith video.

Learn more about mission work in Kenya and throughout the continent of Africa at wels.net/africa.

Visit to Kenya and Ethiopia

/in

Along with Rev. Larry Schlomer, WELS World Missions administrator, and Missionary Howard Mohlke, Ā head of the WELS One Africa Team, I was privileged to visit two of our sister synods in Africa in October. The experience is one I will never forget.

President Schroeder visit to KenyaThe first visit took place in Nairobi, Kenya. There we were greeted at the airport by representatives of the Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christā€“Kenya (LCMCā€“Kenya). The LCMCā€“Kenya was received into fellowship with WELS at our synod convention in 2019.

We had the opportunity to worship in the new partially constructed church building (made possible by the generous support of WELS members). We spent the next two days attending the synod convention of the LCMCā€“Kenya. The faith, zeal, and commitment of the pastors and laypeople attending the convention were truly moving. In the days after the convention, we visited several congregations where members themselves are erecting new church buildings.

Later in the week we traveled to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. There we were greeted by Dr. Kebede Yigezu, the president of the Lutheran Church of Ethiopia (LCE). The LCE is also a relatively new sister synod of WELS, with fellowship declared at our synod convention in 2017.

One of the priorities of the LCE is Christian education on all levels. In a building in Bishoftu (also made possible by the generous gifts of WELS members), Dr. Kebede operates a school where three levels of theological training take place. We were privileged to attend the graduation of four men who had completed their training in one of the levels and are now ready to begin seminary training.

With his emphasis on Christian education, Dr. Kebede also has permission from the local government in Dukem to operate a Lutheran elementary school there. It will have an enrollment of 900 by next year. We visited the school at the start of the school day and were impressed by the enthusiasm of the students and the commitment of the teachers.

God is blessing the gospel ministries of these two growing sister synods. Your prayers and offerings have been a special blessing to them.

 

Serving with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder

 

 

 

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

 

New partners in Christ

/in

Delegates welcomed two new church bodiesā€”the Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christā€”Kenya (LCMC) and the Christian Lutheran Evangelical Church of Taiwan (CLEC)ā€”into confessional Lutheran fellowship with WELS on Wednesday morning.

Representatives from both Kenya and Taiwan were present at the convention: Rev. Mark Onunda, chairman of the LCMC, and his wife, Grace, and Rev. Peter Chen and Mr. Michael Lin from the CLEC.

ā€œMy wife and I have traveled far to be with you these few days,ā€ said Onunda when addressing the delegates. ā€œOur short time together will secure a lifelong partnership to advance our positions in many fields of battle.ā€

The LCMC, a church body of 25 pastors, 46 congregations, and between 3,000 and 5,000 members, is relatively young. Registered as an independent church body in Kenya in 2013, it formed after several of its pastors and churches broke away from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Kenya because of false teachings. This fledging church body immediately began searching for like-minded confessional Lutherans. After they made contact with WELS World Missions in 2014, Prof. E. Allen Sorum, director of the Pastoral Studies Institute, visited Onunda for the first time in Kenya in 2015. The Lutheran Church of Central Africaā€”Zambia, WELSā€™ sister synod, declared fellowship with the LCMC last September.

ā€œWith our blessed partnership in place, your brothers and sisters in Kenya can now attend to our most pressing challenges,ā€ says Onunda. ā€œWe want to be aggressive in our mission work. We want to be strong in our encouragement of the pastors and congregations already in our church body. . . . There is also the pressing challenge of human need and suffering among our Lutheran people in Kenya.ā€ This includes partnering with WELS to serve South Sudanese refugees living in Kakuma, Kenya.

The Christian Lutheran Evangelical Church (CLEC) in Taiwan started as a mission of WELS, with missionaries serving there from 1979 through 2013. The CLEC is now an independent church body.

ā€œWe are happy to be united with WELS in faith,ā€ said Chen to the delegates. ā€œWELS is like a mother to us.ā€

Chen notes that church members were unsure about what would happen to their church when the missionaries left. ā€œWhen I go back, I can let my members know WELS hasnā€™t left us!ā€ he says. ā€œNow they declare we are in fellowship with each other so even if there are no missionaries in Taiwan, it doesnā€™t make a difference. We are one.ā€

Chen was also impressed by the theme of the convention, ā€œFor the generations to come.ā€ He is training Lin to be a leader for one of the four CLEC churches. Lin will finish his training this year. ā€œThis is a good chance to pass on the whole idea of who we are and who we belong to for the next generation,ā€ he says.

This was Linā€™s first trip to the United States. He was amazed by the opening worship service. ā€œI will go back [to my congregation] with lots of pictures and stories. I can tell them this is the way our mother church is,ā€ he says.

The CLEC has four congregations, one pastor (Chen), and about 100 members. Three men, including Lin, are training to serve congregations as tent ministers. It is reaching out in a country of 23 million people, of which 5 percent are Christian. ā€œPlease pray for us,ā€ says Chen.

Delegates celebrated the declaration of fellowship by joining together to sing, ā€œChrist Is Made the Sure Foundationā€ (Christian Worship 531).

 

 

 

View all convention information, including news, videos, photos, election information, resolutions, and more.

Convention coverage

 

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Recommendations for church fellowship

/in

One of the highlights of this summerā€™s 65th Biennial Synod Convention will be the formal declaration and recognition of fellowship with two confessional Lutheran church bodies. The 2019 synod convention will be held July 29 ā€“ Aug. 1, 2019, at Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn.

The Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ ā€“ Kenya (LCMC ā€“ Kenya) was formed when the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Kenya began to tolerate false teachings. A group of Kenyan pastors broke away and began searching for a confessional Lutheran church body. In 2015, Rev. Mark Onunda of the LCMC ā€“ Kenya met at length with the Doctrinal Committee of the Lutheran Church of Central Africa ā€“ Zambia Synod (LCCA ā€“ Zambia), a former WELS mission and now our sister synod. The LCCA ā€“ Zambia synod declared formal fellowship with the LCMC ā€“ Kenya last September. The WELS Commission on Inter-Church Relations will be recommending to the synod convention that WELS also formally declare fellowship with the LCMC ā€“ Kenya.

The Christian Lutheran Evangelical Church in Taiwan began as a WELS mission and is now an independent Lutheran Church body that has always been in fellowship with WELS. Because this church is now independent, the Commission on Inter-Church Relations is recommending that the synod in convention formally recognize our fellowship with the Christian Lutheran Evangelical Church in Taiwan.

Representatives from each church body will address the convention and make presentations that will familiarize the delegates with these church bodies that will be recognized formally as a part of our fellowship.

We thank God for continuing to enlarge our fellowship with Lutheran Christians around the world.

Serving in Christ,
President Mark Schroeder

Learn more about the 2019 synod convention.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email