The Sunday News
THE Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe (ELCZ) is a missionary church started by the church of Sweden mission board (CSM) in 1903.
The Sweden Mission board sent its first missionary Pastor Rev Otto Witt to Zululand, in 1903 the Church in Zululand sent the Swedish missionary Pastors Liljenstrand and Hellden and their families to Rhodesia now Zimbabwe. Hence the centenary celebration in 2003 at Mnene Mission.
Swedish missionaries mostly worked in Mberengwa district opening school, hospitals and clinics, parishes and mission stations.
Today the Lutheran Church covers the whole 10 Provinces in Zimbabwe and operates as three Dioceses namely Eastern Diocese (Mashonaland, Masvingo, Manicaland and Harare Metropolitan Provinces), Western Diocese (Matabeleland North, South and Bulawayo Metropolitan Provinces) and Central Diocese (Midlands) each run by a Bishop and two Deans.
The Northern Deanery in the Western Diocese is headed by Dean Thembinkosi Nsingo. The Deanery stretches from Stanmore to Victoria Falls and has a preaching point at Plumtree and Patalika/Kezi.
Northern Deanery has over 3 000 membership. The Deanery is divided into eight Parishes led by Pastors. In Bulawayo we have five Parishes divided geographically, Byo East —Tshabalala area, Bulawayo South — Emnganwini area, Bulawayo West — Njube and Luveve area, Bulawayo North — Mzilikazi area and City Centre in the heart of the city.
For functionality purposes the church has five organs namely Witnesses, Women’s Union, Luther League Seniors fellowship, Youth and Sunday School.
The Northern Deanery has projects going on at congregational, Parish and Deanery level. As I speak City Centre parish has a massive building project in the city along J Tongogara and 13th Avenue and the Deanery is in the process of constructing a Dean’s residence at Waterford. Christians are donating towards the project,, however, the pace is slow. Hopefully the new dispensation will usher a new philosophy to out work as well.
Our services start at 9am, from 9am to 10am it’s Bible Study, 10am to 12.30pm it’s the Main Service. Lutheran Church is Liturgical Church and a singing church.
