Sierra Pacific Synod Celebrates the Newly Installed Bishop of the Lutheran Church in Rwanda
A four-member delegation recently returned from visiting Rwanda. Bp. Jeff Johnson, Sue Hertless (Chair of the SPS Companion Church Team), Rev. Sara Wilson (PLTS), and Rev. Dr. Gabriele Schroeder (Faith, Meadow Vista) returned on September 10 from an 8-day visit to Rwanda. The main purpose of the trip was to attend the events surrounding the consecration and installation of Pr. Prince Atupenda Kalisa as the third bishop of the Lutheran Church in Rwanda (LCR). Our delegation was one of three delegations from the US. The two others included delegations from the ELCA Churchwide organization (ELCA Presiding Bp. Curry, Rev. Shemiah Curry, Rev. Khader El-Yateem) and Emmanuel Lutheran Global Seminary (Naples, FL).
In addition to attending worship services and dinners, we witnessed first-hand some of the challenges that the LCR continues to face. Founded in 1994 after the Genocide against the Tutsi, the church was first organized by returning refugees from Tanzania. In a relatively short time, many congregations were founded in rural areas near the borders with Uganda and Tanzania and actively participated in the rebuilding of their country. Later, more congregations were added in urban areas, including a congregation in the country’s capital, Kigali.
Many of the LCR congregations are small. Most cannot afford paying their pastors a living wage. Buildings have deteriorated over time. Many pastors lack advanced theological training. Most church buildings have been closed by the government for worship services until the congregations can demonstrate meeting certain minimum construction criteria. All these are challenges that Bishop Kalisa hopes to address and correct over time. All the while, though, congregational life continues, children are baptized, couples are married, lives are celebrated, and the good news of Jesus Christ is proclaimed in word and deed … even under very difficult conditions.
Over time, companion relationships between Rwandan parishes and SPS congregations that once flourished have faltered. In some cases, California congregations that used to maintain companion relationships have closed. In other cases, the Covid pandemic has negatively impacted companion relationships. To help address this situation, our synod has begun to reconstitute its Rwanda accompaniment team. We now have a dedicated group of individuals who are passionate about reinvigorating our synod’s relationship with its Rwandan Lutheran siblings. One result of their work were the three workshops held at the regional synod gatherings in May (Redding, Reno, Santa Clara). Over time, the Rwanda accompaniment team hopes to recruit new partners among or SPS congregations and provide them with guidelines and valuable insights about building a relationship with a parish in Rwanda.
SPS delegation member Sue Hertless expresses her gratitude and learnings with these words,
“From the time we arrived and were met at the airport until we departed our host showed hospitality and generosity that was over the top making sure our needs were meet with hotel accommodations, transportation, and delicious meals. And, at the same time they made sure we were able to experience the love of the people, see the church’s needs, and behold the beauty of Rwanda. Bishop Kalisa spoke often of the long-standing relationship with the Sierra Pacific Synod going back to the time of Bishop David Mullen and wants us to continue to stay connected and thrive together. He also shared with us some of his goals: to strengthen the church’s ability to sustain itself, improve the education of clergy, upgrade the church facilities, and build the parishes’ capacity to raise income locally. Overall, Bishop Kalisa’ hopes to focus on education, young people, and community development. With each church we visited as the pastors and lay people spoke about their church and the community, we could see the urgency for his vision and goals.”
If you are interested in the Rwanda accompaniment team’s work, please contact Micah Metts-Houston, a member of St. John’s, Sacramento (micahhouston13@gmail.com). The Rwanda Accompaniment Team meets approximately 6 times per year on Zoom to plan our work, divvies up assignments, and reports on our progress. We hope that you will prayerfully consider joining our team as we work together to support the Rwanda Lutheran Church both in prayer and other ways.
Rev. Dr. Gabriele Schroeder, Faith Lutheran Church, Meadow Vista
on behalf of the SPS Rwanda Delegation