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!
2013 Great Trip - all 6 ECSW conferences represented
Forty-one from the East Central Synod of Wisconsin had a wonderful time in the Western Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa June 18-July 10, 2013. Bishop Ditlhale commissioned them upon arrival so that they were not visitors but members of the Western Diocese. On July 8-9  Bishop Ditlhale debriefed with the group and sent them back to our synod charged with the task of communicating their experiences and the importance of this relationship

Every Conference in the East Central Synod of Wisconsin was represented and every Circuit in the Western Diocese was visited. .What joy to see God's mission uniting us and the mutual encouragement experience by all on this trip!





Bishop Ditlhale with Pastor Scott Adams.
Picture
Model for future trips

The 2013 Synod Trip established a model that can be easily duplicated for future trips..

A necessary step to truly open up your relationship with your companion is for someone from your congregation to visit your companion parish in the Western Diocese of ELCSA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa). Please use this website to guide your companion relationship with the parish and circuit in South Africa with which your congregation and conference are matched. For more guidance contact our synod liaison with the Western Diocese - Mark Ziemer at 715-453-4066. Insert, a brochure, Q&A and a blog are found elsewhere on this website.

Benefits of a companion trip to South Africa:
  • Affordable - a three week trip to your companion congregation is comparable in cost to a cruise or attending a National Youth Gathering
  • Life transforming - understand this is to be an immersion experience and the beginning of a life-long relationship. This is much more and different from tourism or even a "mission trip".  
  • New reality - this 21st Century is leading us into a very new way of being church.  This companion relationship teaches us to be vulnerable and empowering and relate mutually and inclusively in an intentional commitment that sees our local community from a global perspective and vice versa. Rather than words and concepts, "God's mission", "glocal",  and "accompaniment" become living realities.  
  • Building up the church - it is crucial for this relationship and any trip to connect on all levels and in doing so we learn the value and richness of being church.
Necessary steps for a companion trip to South Africa: 
  1. Letter of Invitation - from your companion parish in South Africa
  2. Application - important information for their hosting
  3. Preparation - East Central Synod and ELCA has many resources to explain and prepare so the trip is truly an accompaniment experience
  4. Orientation - in South Africa is a great way to begin to learn about the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa and about South Africa
  5. Debriefing - scheduling the greeting at the beginning and a debriefing at the end is important with the Parish, Circuit, and Diocese