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Easter in Arusha
"The Easter Sunday service was filled with great joy. We sang some favorite Easter hymns and we were asked to assist with the distribution of Communion...The church was packed. With a few dozen people still in the aisle, the bread almost ran out...The pre-poured wine and juice also ran out, and they were served common cup. It was a joyous occasion." Since early November, Tom and Susan MacPherson have lived in Tanzania, representing our synod as they work at the Irente Children’s Home, a mission of the North Eastern Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania. In addition to their work caring for the children, Susan teaches English, bookkeeping, and computer skills to many of the workers at the orphanage and Tom works as a handyman. More importantly, they both share God’s love with all the people they meet and find God’s love in those same people. Join in their journey by reading their "Partners in Mission" blog at http://macphersonmission.blogspot.com. Read more to learn how to send encouragement to the MacPhersons and how to support their work.
Furaha ya Krismasi!
"We would like to send our warmest wishes for a Joyous Christmas and Happy New Year to all of the congregations of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod and to the Bishop and staff," missionaries Tom and Susan MacPherson write in their Christmas message from Tanzania. "Our Christmas tree (pictured) is made of pine cones, tissue paper and construction paper."
Follow Our Missionaries Via Blog
You can now follow the adventures of Susan and Tom MacPherson, who are embarking on two years of service as missionaries in Tanzania, via their new blog called Partners in Mission. Recent posts cover their adjustment to their new home and their challenges studying Kiswahili, their new primary language.
SEKUCo Nears 1,600 Students
Sebastian Kolowa University College (SEKUCo) in our companion synod in Tanzania began its fifth year of operation in October with 1,584 students enrolled. What began with 138 first-year students has grown more than 1000 percent. The first group of students who graduated last December have for the most part found productive jobs as teachers, administrators, and other professionals working to improve the lives of students with special needs. Download the latest SEKUCo newsletter after the jump.
TZ Fund Request is a Scam
ELCA Global Mission staff report that a letter received in several synods from a pastor in Dar Es Salaam is a scam. The appeal from Pastor William Maheka Pamui, Senior Pastor of St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church in Dar es Salaam, asks for financial contributions to be made to a bank account in New York to help provide 10 wells for clean drinking water. ELCA staff report that a regional representative in Tanzania confirms that the request is not genuine.
Synod News
Highlights of 2012 Assembly
A complete report of the 2012 Synod Assembly, along with video highlights, a downloadable newsletter insert, photos and preliminary minutes of the Assembly are now available online. Find links after the jump.
From Liberia to East Lansdowne
It’s a long way from Liberia to East Lansdowne, but over that distance God planted and nurtured a small worshipping community in a refugee camp into a thriving Lutheran Church officially welcomed at the 2012 Assembly.