The Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT) closed the Pastors Conference held in Dodoma 24 to 29 September with a call to its members demonstrate their love for one another by making contribution for victims of an earthquake that struck Kagera recently.

He said this when he handed over Sh. 240 million/= donation to assist victims of the earthquake to Bishop Dr. Abednego Keshomshahara of ELCT North-western Diocese in Kagera region. The money was contributed by some of the ELCT Bishops and some of the ELCT partners abroad. The offering at the opening service of the conference was also directed to assist the earthquake victims.

He explained that love should be shared by helping those in need at a time such as the earthquake in Kagera. He urged dioceses to collect donations from the members of the church for the victims.

He pointed out that donations will be given to all victims in Kagera Region - including North-western Diocese and Karagwe Diocese - without any kind of discrimination on the basis or religion, gender, political affiliation.

With a 5.7 magnitude that struck 22km northeast of Nsunga, Kagera region on Sunday night 10 September 2016 sending shock waves in the Lake Zone area in Tanzania and the neighbouring country of Uganda and Kenya. It claimed the lives of 19 people and 253 injured in Tanzania.

As soon as the earthquake struck, he said ELCT through its planning Department, ACT Alliance, the World Service of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and the Diaconia arm of ELCT – the Tanganyika Refugee Services (TCRS) dispatched a team to assess the situation and delivered some blankets, tents, bedding and schools uniforms. More of the material -including blankets, school supplies and clothing have been given to the leadership of the two dioceses.

The meeting was attended by at least 1,500 pastors from the ELCT dioceses, institutions and mission areas. The theme of the Conference was: “The 500 years of Reformation: Our witness” was addressed by Bishop Dr. Keshomshahara. Other presentations were on: ‘The Pastor and Christian Education,’ presented by Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Kileo; ‘The Church and Revival,’ by Rev. Dr. Faith Lugazia; ‘Pastoral Counselling,’ by Rev. Dr. Angela Olotu and ‘The Pastor and worship,’ by Rev. Dr. Msafiri Mbilu.

The presentations are available in Swahili at the links below:

• 500 years of Reformation: Our witness
• The Pastor and Christian Education
• The Church and Revival
• Pastoral Counselling (coming)
• Worship and Church Unity
• Closing speech by Bp Fredrick Shoo

Kanisa kusaidia walipatwa na tetemeko Kagera

Mkuu wa Kanisa la Kiinjili la Kilutheri Tanzania (KKKT) alifunga mkutano wa Wachungaji uliofanyika Dodoma 24 to 29 Septemba kwa wito kwa wanachama wake kuonesha upendo kwa vitendo kwa kuchangia ili kusaidia waliopatwa na tetemeko mkoani Kagera hivi karibuni.

Alisema hayo alipokuwa akimkabidhi mchango wa Sh. 240 million/= kwa Askofu Dkt. Abednego Keshomshahara wa KKKT Dayosisi ya Kaskazini Magharibi iliyopo Mkoa wa Kagera. Fedha hizo zilichangwa na wajumbe wa Halmashauri Kuu ya KKKT na baadhi ya washirika wa KKKT walio nje ya nchi. Pia sadaka iliyopatikana wakati wa Ibada ya Ufunguzi wa Mkutano huo wa Wachungaji utapelekwa kuwasaidia waathirika wa tetemeko.

Alisema upendo lazima uoneshwe kwa matendo kwa kugawana na kuwasaidia wengine wenye uhitaji kama ilivyo kwa wale walioathirika na tetemeko Kagera. Alihimiza Dayosisi zikusanye michango toka kwa washarika endapo bado hawajachanga kwa ajili ya waathirika hao.

Aidha alisema michango yote itakayotolewa itakuwa ni kwa ajili ya waathirika wote Mkoani Kagera – ikiwemo Dayosisi ya Kaskazini Magharibi na Dayosisi ya Karagwe – bila kubagua dini, jinsi au chama chake cha kisiasa.

Tetemeko lililokuwa na kipimo cha 5.7 lilikumba eneo kilomita 22km kaskazini mashariki ya Nsunga, Mkoani Kagera usiku wa kuamkia 10 Septemba 2016 na athari zake kufika eneo la ukanda wa Ziwa nchini Tanzania hadi nchi jirani za Kenya na Uganda. Watu 19 walikufa na wengine 253 walijeruhiwa nchini Tanzania.

Mara baada ya tetemeko hilo kutokea, Askofu alisema KKKT kupitia Idara yake ya Mipango, Shirika la Maafa la Kimataifa Act-Alliance Tawi la Tanzania, Shirika la World Service la Fungamano la Makanisa ya Kilutheri Duniani (Geneva) na Mkono wa Diakonia wa KKKT TCRS (the Tanganyika Refugee Services lilituma timu kwenda kufanya tathmini ya awali na kupeleka misaada michache ya haraka kama mablanketi, maturubali, matandiko na unifomu za shule. Baada ya hapo vifaa vingi zaidi bedding and schools uniforms. Vifaa zaidi kama mabelo ya mablanketi, maboksi ya vifaa vya shule na mabelo ya nguo zilipelekwa baadaye ili kukabidhiwa kwa menejimenti ya dayosisi hizo mbili wazigawe.

Mkutano wa Wachungaji wa KKKT ulihudhuriwa na wachungaji 1,500 kutoka Dayosisi za KKKT zilizopo nchi nzima, vituo na maeneo ya misioni ya KKKT.

Neno Kuu la Mkutano lilikuwa ‘Miaka 500 ya Matengenezo: Ushuhuda wetu’ ambapo Askofu Dkt. Keshomshahara alilifundisha. Mada juu ya: ‘Mchungaji na Elimu ya Kikristo,’ ilitolewa na Mchg. Dkt. Emmanuel Kileo; ‘Kanisa na Uamsho,’ iliyotolewa na Mchg. Dkt. Faith Lugazia; ‘Ushauri wa Kichungaji,’ iliyotolewa na Mchg. Dkt. Angela Olotu na ‘Ibada na Umoja wa Kanisa’ iliyotolewa na Mchg. Dkt. Msafiri Mbilu.

Unaweza kupata mada hizo kwa PDF format kama ifuatavyo:

• Miaka 500 ya Matengenezo: ushuhuda wetu
• Mchungaji na Elimu ya Kikristo
• Kanisa na Uamsho
• Ushauri wa Kichungaji (bado)
• Ibada na Umoja wa Kanisa
• Hotuba ya Kufunga Mkutano, Bp Fredrick Shoo