ECSW Companion Relationship with ELCSA-Western Diocese
  • Welcome
  • 2016 Visit from S.A. Guests
  • "Before the Visit" Orientation Videos
  • "During the Visit" Orientation Videos
  • Accompaniment
    • What is it?
    • Accompaniment Blog
  • Revisit 2013 trip to S.A.
    • Summary of 2013 Trip to the Western Diocese
    • 2013 Trip Details >
      • 2013 Q & A
      • 2013 Brochure
      • Bulletin inserts or Newsletter explanations
  • Three essential steps
    • Letter of Invitation
    • Application >
      • Expectations
    • Orientation >
      • Blog on preparing
      • Books & Videos
      • Brian Konkol on Accompaniment >
        • Articles by Brian Konkol
        • Brian Konkol on YouTube
      • Barbara Berry Bailey
      • ELCA Companion Synod Handbook >
        • #1 Introduction
        • #2 First Cross-cultural Session
        • #3 Second Cross-cultural Session
        • #4 The Western Diocese
        • #5 Final Details
      • Specific Details
  • What we do in S.A.
    • Our Guides in the Western Diocese >
      • Why Guides?
      • Bishop Ditlhale
      • Rev. Morwaeng Motswasele
      • Dr. Phil in South Africa >
        • Blogs by Dr. Phil >
          • Prisoners of Hope
          • Southern Africa Church Leaders Gather
          • We are all missionaries
    • Orientation in South Africa >
      • Lakeview Lodge
    • One South African parish's plan for their visitors
  • Background to our companion relationship in Southern Africa
    • History of ECSW & Western Diocese >
      • Western Diocese in South Africa >
        • History of Western Diocese
        • Crossways Camps and the Western Diocese
        • 2010 WRV Conference & Madikwe Circuit
        • Maps >
          • Map of Western Diocese
      • How we got to 2013 >
        • 2010 Ziemer Sabbatical
        • 2005 visit from SA
    • Conference-Circuit >
      • Covenant, Goals & Guidelines
    • Our Synod's Companion Task Force >
      • 2012 Synod Resolution
  • ELCA Companion Synod Program
    • Rev. Barbara Berry-Bailey
  • Companion Synod matches
    • East Central Synod of WI with Western Diocese
    • ELCA Synods matched with ELCSA Dioceses >
      • Carribean Synod with ELCSA Eastern Diocese
      • Metro Chicago Synod with ELCSA Central Diocese
      • Montana Synod with ELCSA Cape Orange Diocese
      • Northeast Ohio Synod with ELCSA Northern Diocese
      • Southwest Minnesota Synod with ELCSA Southeastern Diocese
    • other companion relationships >
      • Greater Milwaukee Synod >
        • companion relationship with Tanzania
        • companion relationship with El Salvador
      • Great Lakes Synod with Tanzania
      • Northwest Synod of Wisconsin >
        • companion relationship with Malawi, in southern Africa
        • companion relationship with Brazil
      • LaCrosse Synod >
        • companion relationship with Peru
        • companion relationship with Ethiopia
      • South Central Synod of WI with India
  • Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (ELCSA) website
  • Lutheran Communion in Southern Africa (LUCSA) website
  • The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) website
  • Photo Gallery
    • Pictures of 2013 Synod Trip >
      • Pictures of earlier trips - come and see!

Background of 2013 Trip

One alone, two, four, twenty - all those numbers work to travel to the same parish. What is important is that your companion parish states this in their invitation.

Also traveling in a large group to the Western Diocese makes the traveling easier and all can benefit from the orientation together. The Lakeview Airport Lodge is a great place to gather people arriving on different flights, recover from the flight, and receive a couple days of orientation. From there it is only a two-hour ride to the Western Diocese Centre to greet the Bishop and then be picked up by the various circuits to head off to our individual companion parishes. 

The 2013 trip began from plans that Grace, Tomahawk began forming for a visit to their companion, Lekubu Parish. Bishop Justman  encouraged and supported Grace to make this trip with its emphasis on accompaniment available to anyone in the East Central Synod of Wisconsin.

Grace and Lekubu have experienced a variety of trip styles:  Traveling in a group of four to Lekubu was excellent for a first visit in 2006. A group of twelve from the Wisconsin River Valley Conference traveled together in 2010 to the Madikwe Circuit and then divided up to go to their matched Parishes. Pastor Mark Ziemer did a nine-week sabbatical in Lekubu Parish as part of that trip in 2010. In 2012, sixty-five people came from the Madikwe Circuit to visit the Wisconsin River Valley Conference - the largest companion visit to an ELCA synod.

In 2013, twenty-two people from Grace visited Lekubu Parish - so many visiting one parish is possible. On the other hand several on the 2013 visit went alone to visit their companion synod, and Pastor Karla Kirkeby visited all parishes in the Moretele Circuit.