Welcome to the Northeastern Evangelical Lutheran Church in South Africa

The Northeastern Evangelical Lutheran Church in South Africa proclaims, witnesses and shares the Good News of God's Grace in Jesus Christ.

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Synod 2019
Word of Greeting

Dear congregations, we greet you in the name of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“Go - with purpose!”, was the theme for this year’s Synod. This challenges us to discover our purpose as a church, congregations and as individuals, not to remain where we are, but to move purposefully by aligning ourselves with God´s will. The introductory sermon on Acts 8 focused on Philip´s obedience in his response to God´s call. Philip did not say, “Sorry, not now,” or “sorry, not me,” he went and shared the Gospel with a total stranger.

Just like Philip we are also urged to be outgoing, to love and befriend the stranger and to share the joy of the Gospel through God´s mercy. This was underlined by the bible study on Romans 12, in which each Christian is urged to put God´s love into action, because love is not a mere feeling, but a verb.

This is already visible in our Church as inspiring examples of expressions of positive movement were shared, such as:

the unification of the three congregations Harburg, New Hanover and Wartburg;
the welcoming love towards refugees by St Peter´s Pretoria;
the election of a non-German speaking Pastor by the Western Parish (Gerdau and Potchefstroom);
the planting of a new congregation in Ballito and
the church building project of the Midrand congregation.

These examples inspire and encourage each one of us to be open to purpose-driven change wherever possible.

In the church council report Bishop Müller urged every congregation to nurture faith, especially amongst our children and youth, to become more outgoing and welcoming.

The theme “Go - with purpose!” was incorporated in all deliberations and the business aspect of Synod. The decision was taken to rename our church, which will be known as Northeastern Evangelical Lutheran Church in South Africa: NELCSA. Church Council will announce the date of implementation.
It was also decided to relocate our church office to the property of the Johannes congregation in Tshwane.

The finances of the church are sound, yet it remains a challenge for some congregations to make ends meet. Every congregation is thus urged to pray for these struggling congregations and to support them financially where possible. Regarding this the church is reflecting on ways to deal with this reality, including investigations into new and different ministry models.

Once again it has been an enriching experience for all of us who took part in this year´s Synod. Ultimately, though, it is up to every congregation and every member to be part of the NELCSA team and that we, guided and strengthened by our Lord, go into the future with purpose.
12 October 2019

eQuip 2020
The year 2020 began with eQuip on the 1-5 January. The theme for eQuip, “2020 Vision: Go with a purpose,” was presented by Bishop Horst Müller, and Pastors Drs Gertrud and Detlev Tönsing. The eQuippans arrived pregnant with excitement to meet brothers and sisters.
We were challenged to reflect on our past and then find our purpose for the future. Through Bible study, group discussions, creative activities and one-on-one counseling we embraced the task courageously. The fellowship of participants and the expertise of the presenters, allowed us to learn from past events in the Bible (Old and New Testaments) and each other’s experiences to identify God’s plan for the world and for ourselves in the future.
The highlights of the week were the music, especially the early morning brass band melody and when the children led the evening devotion, in the form of a movie and provided us with 7 steps of going with a purpose.
eQuip 2020 ended on a high note, filled with hope and courage for the future, with eQuippans eager and equipped to fulfil their 2020 vision.
Can you afford to miss eQuip 2021? See you there: 2-7 January in Hermannsburg!
#Gowithapurpose
#Iamstaying
Ann Mokhine – Tshinyi Magoro –
Jochen Voges