GUIDELINES FOR COMPANION
CONGREGATIONS
We believe that the blessings we will experience as a
synod and as congregations as we form
congregation-to-congregation relationships are:
- that we will all be renewed and strengthened in our
witness to our Lord Jesus.
- that we will both give and receive encouragement in
our work, our congregational practices, and in our prayer
life.
- that we will be strengthened and inspired by each
other in our callings as a "sent people in daily life.
that each congregation will learn more about how the
Church lives and works outside our own countries.
**STEPS TO TAKE TO LINK UP WITH A CONGREGATION IN THE
PARE DIOCESE
STEP 1.
Develop enough support in the congregation for entering
into this relationship so that some understanding of what
would be involved is available to stimulate interest and
commitment; perhaps calling people together who are
interested and enthusiastic to take ownership of the idea is
a place to begin, or another of these suggestions:
- If your congregation doesn't already have a global
mission committee, you may want to form one to continue
the work of building support and handling the "nuts and
bolts" of the project. Embracing God's World is a
comprehensive 100+ page workbook with ideas for forming
such a committee and/or increasing global awareness in a
congregation. Contact Augsburg Fortress at
11800-328-4648, the code number is 6000056834.
- Your congregation received a "Too[ Kit' box from
the Division for Global Mission in the fall of 1999
entitled "Walking Together Into the Next Century,"
containing many excellent resources on ELCA global
mission work. An update was sent in 2000. Locate and use
the resource (a brightly colored large box - yellow,
purple, contains a video, etc.)
- Locate and view Imani Moja, a video resource produced
in the spring of 2000, which documents the visit of
Bishop Hougen's delegation to the Pare Diocese in the
fall of 1999, You'll meet Bishop Stefano Msangi, General
Secretary Mr, Mark Leven and others from the Diocese.
You'll see schools, churches, choirs, people of the
Maasai tribe and much more. Don't miss the music either -
it's an awesome experience. (Its in a bright green
jacket, and was accompanied by a study guide. Call the
synod office if you can't find yours.)
- Considering encouraging and sponsoring attendance by
members of your congregation at a churchwide Global
Mission Event (visit www.elca.org/dgm). The Global
Mission Team of our synod provides scholarship assistance
when requested also.
STEP 2.
Approach your Pastor(s), existing committees and
Congregation Council to seek the needed authorization to
enter into a Companion Congregation relationship for at
least the following three years. The synod Global Mission
Team representative may describe for you possible
congregations with which you may be linked. Notify Pastor
Gerking (in the synod office) of your decision. A
congregation assignment will be solidified via
correspondence from the Synod with the Diocese offices after
your congregation has decided to go forward.
STEP 3.
Continue to learn about your companion congregation's
country and the way of life for its people while you wait to
receive your assignment.
- Additional Resources: International students at our
seminaries and colleges (Grand View, Waldorf, Wartburg,
Luther Colleges and Wartburg Seminary in
particular).
- You will find a "country packet' of information about
Tanzania available @ www.elca.org/dgm (or call 800/NET
ELCA).
STEP 4.
When you have received the name and address of your
companion congregation, correspond directly through the
pastor of that congregation. At this stage, pastor to pastor
communication would be a good policy in terms of proper
procedures. Have your pastor include a provisional statement
of purpose for your relationship as companion congregations
(such as the "blessings at the beginning of this paper).
A draft of this initial letter is available, as well as a
potential "Covenant" to consider. Sending a courtesy copy of
all correspondence to our synod office and the Pare Diocese
office is always appreciated.
STEP 5.
Continue in correspondence with your companion. Write
some initial goals emphasizing a mutual relationship - and
also ask the companion congregation its vision of the
relationship. Keep the conversation open, and build upon
what emerges.
As the relationship develops, keep in mind the
following:
- The key is "mutuality" - that is, keeping a
sense of equality between the two congregations - the key
to that is to refrain from giving gifts which our
companions cannot match, and to be willing to share about
life, work, concerns, prayer needs, and ways of mutual
encouragement in Christ.
- In corresponding, keep the language simple - English
is not the primary language of most Tanzanians, any more
than Swahili or the local language of the Pare Diocese is
your first language. Learn a few phrases of greeting to
write in your letters as an expression of your
interest.
- Be aware that not all cultures emphasize prompt
replies to letters - please be patient about this.
- In writing letters, share your own life and culture
(without overwhelming emphasis on material possessions)
and ask to understand their ways. One way some
researchers gather material about culture is to say, "in
our country, we do this and this about our subject ---
how do you and the people of your village handle
it?"
POSSIBLE ACTIVITIES
- Pray for your companion congregation. Make it a
regular event; each week or each month. Pray for
particular people in particular ministries as you become
acquainted.
- Make a bulletin board display. Show the map/area of
Tanzania and the Pare Mountains. Share letters and other
items. Spread the excitement.
- Have your choir(s) record special music on
audiocassette and send it to your companions.
- Enter into a simultaneous Bible Study. Exchange
information, Or have the pastors preach from the same
text and exchange sermons, Study the different approaches
or insights.
- Teach your congregation a hymn in KiSwahilli (WOV
687, 712, etc.).
- Learn some phrases in KiSwahilli for a liturgical
response during worship; e.g., "Christ is risen," "Go in
peace, serve the Lord."
- Arrange a series of forums about your companion's
church/country. Find a resource person in your
community.
- Prepare a series of articles (maybe written by
someone from your companion congregation) for your
newsletter about your companion. Publish letters written
back and forth.
- If there are colleges or universities in your area,
ask if there might be a student from Tanzania. Invite
them to your church and to your home. Help them share
formally or informally with you about their home
country.
- Make a banner that represents both congregations.
Have it up for six months in your place of worship; send
it to your partner. Or have them send you a symbol of
your relationship leaving the choice up to your
friends.
- Read about relationships between our country and
Tanzania. Is there some advocacy you could work on? Keep
a file of related newspaper and magazine articles. Try
keeping a bulletin board for current events in
Tanzania.
- Encourage a photo exchange. Ask if your new friends
have video possibilities or access. Share histories and
pictures of your houses of worship and communities of
faith.
- Write letters using a translator. Be sure to write
legibly (preferably typewritten). Encourage groups, such
as youth, women and men, to write. Remember, it could
take weeks or months to receive responses.
- Exchange recipes. Food communicates much about
people, Have a potluck with food, music, etc., from your
companion's culture.
- Exchange children's artwork and crafts that can be
sent back and forth to one another. These handmade gifts
will communicate love and solidify relationship more than
most gifts.
- Consider supporting a special Global Mission project
that will benefit people throughout the Diocese or the
country. Contact the Synod Global Mission Team.
- Consider sponsoring a missionary through the
Missionary Sponsorship program. Contact the Division for
Global Mission (DGM).
- Check with the Global Mission Team or Area Program
Director of DGM to see what Missionaries or Volunteers
are currently in our companion synod or serving from our
synod in Tanzania. Perhaps you can make contact with your
companion through them, or simply learn from their
experience and pray for them.
- Send gifts from local craftspeople knitting, quilts,
embroidery, etc,
- Of course the best cement to a relationship is a
personal visit. Remember to be invited first. Plan in
advance. Study as much as you can to be well informed.
Plans need to be made in consultation with the synod
Bishop's office. Pre-trip training is a must. Maybe you
have a member in your congregation who naturally in the
course of his/her job travels to Africa. Why not pitch in
to help them go the extra miles to represent your
congregation? Or set up an official visit of a few
members. Don't forget youth ambassadors. Remember also
you are representing not only your congregation, but also
the Southeastern Iowa Synod and the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America. Also your relationship extends beyond
your partner congregation to their national church. Make
plans to announce your visit to the appropriate people in
your companion church (bishop, executive secretary,
president).
- Invite and help fund a visit from someone or several
people from your companion congregation. Go together with
other congregations to share cost, hosting and time with
your visitor(s).
- Send Christmas and/or Easter greetings or at other
days and seasons of the Church Year. Descriptions of how
these events are observed could be shared with the
congregation.
- Have a craftsperson in the congregation work on a
special gift - for instance, an altar cloth.
- If there are nearby students or other persons from
Tanzania (especially the Pare area) invite them to stay
in your homes during school breaks and celebrate together
any church events that may occur during that time.
- Covenant with your partner congregation that each
will do some things to promote the causes of peace and
justice in the world, the nation, and the local
areas.
- Select portions of scripture and ask the members of
each congregation to write brief devotional comments.
Compile and exchange these for a sharing of devotional
insights. (This will require translation efforts.)
- Make use of Lutheran World Relief 's Equal Exchange
Coffee project. Try the Tanzanian Blend
- Collect and send medical supplies to Global Health
Ministries (www.qhm.orq) for use in many places in
Tanzania.
These are only ideas -we hope you will create
spin-offs and better adaptations as you study them and grow
in the relationship.
Produced May 2001
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