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!
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!
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Bishop Ditlhale with Pastor Scott Adams. |
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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:
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.
- Letter of Invitation - from your companion parish in South Africa
- Application - important information for their hosting
- Preparation - East Central Synod and ELCA has many resources to explain and prepare so the trip is truly an accompaniment experience
- Orientation - in South Africa is a great way to begin to learn about the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa and about South Africa
- Debriefing - scheduling the greeting at the beginning and a debriefing at the end is important with the Parish, Circuit, and Diocese