Convention 2003: 50 years of amazing grace
Convention 2003: 50 years of amazing grace
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Lutheran Church of Central Africa (LCCA), past and present missionaries to Zambia and Malawi spoke at the convention on Thursday evening, including Theodore Sauer, Raymond Cox, Ernst H. Wendland, Paul Nitz, and John Gierach. Sauer, Cox, and Wendland helped establish and shape the LCCA back in the fifties and sixties. Nitz currently coordinates the mission in Malawi, and Gierach recently served in Zambia.
Wendland noted that the LCCA’s anniversary celebration is titled “Chikondi Chodabwitsa” (“Amazing Grace”)—but 50 years ago there was not a word in the African language of Chewa that accurately portrayed the grace of their heavenly Father, a Son who died for them, and a Holy Spirit who spoke to them through the Holy Scriptures.
Today the LCCA in Zambia has 11,000 members, and the LCCA in Malawi has 39,000. The fields share a Bible institute and a seminary. National pastors and churches are taking on more and more responsibility for their work.
WELS congregations will receive a packet of information this fall to help them celebrate the 50th anniversary of WELS’ work in Africa.
Wendland noted that the LCCA’s anniversary celebration is titled “Chikondi Chodabwitsa” (“Amazing Grace”)—but 50 years ago there was not a word in the African language of Chewa that accurately portrayed the grace of their heavenly Father, a Son who died for them, and a Holy Spirit who spoke to them through the Holy Scriptures.
Today the LCCA in Zambia has 11,000 members, and the LCCA in Malawi has 39,000. The fields share a Bible institute and a seminary. National pastors and churches are taking on more and more responsibility for their work.
WELS congregations will receive a packet of information this fall to help them celebrate the 50th anniversary of WELS’ work in Africa.
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