ELCA Global Mission 

Walking and working together, we seek to accompany our companions. Accompaniment is defined as walking together in a solidarity that practices interdependence and mutuality. The ELCA lives out accompaniment in relationships with global companions, striving to share God’s love and participate in God’s mission together:

  • Mutually: All of us have gifts to support God’s mission. There is no mission to, only mission with and among.
  • Inclusively: We seek to build relationships across boundaries that exclude and divide.
  • Vulnerably: Just as Jesus became vulnerable to us, we open ourselves to others.
  • Empowering: We seek to identify and correct imbalances of power, which may mean recognizing and letting go of our own.
  • Sustainably: To ensure local ministries last for a long time, we seek to embed mission in ongoing relationships and communities.

 

RMS Global Mission Committee Statement of Purpose:

  •  Connect individuals and ministries in the Rocky Mountain Synod with opportunities to:
    • Accompany those currently serving in Global Mission through prayer, sponsorship and relationship-building
    • Support those who have returned from service through opportunities to speak and teach about their service
    • Become aware of the work of ELCA Global Mission and of opportunities to serve
    • Connect with the Global Mission Unit of the Churchwide Organization
       
  • Support returning missionaries by providing opportunities:
    • for support and connection with one another
    • to speak and teach about their service
    • engage in new and existing ministries within the RMS

Meet Our Missionary

Rev. Lancelot Themba Mkhabela has been serving as the ELCA Global Mission Regional Representative for Madagascar, West and Central Africa (MWCA) for the last six years. Themba and his wife, Kwena, and their two children, Thando (5years old) and Tumisho (3 years old) reside in Antananarivo, Madagascar. In his current position he is responsible for the ELCA engagements in Madagascar, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ghana and Liberia on behalf of the ELCA Area Director. He also serves as a resource person for theological education for ELCA companions in the region on behalf of the Area Director. In addition to the countries already listed the MWCA region also includes the Central Africa Republic, Cameroon, Senegal, Rwanda and the Gambia.

Read full biography

Celebrate Global Mission in Worship

  • Glocal Church Sunday Liturgy
  • Preaching: Invite a speaker from our Global Church Speaker's Bureau
  • Art
  • Paraments, Vestments, Flowers
  • Offering: consider designating an offering to Global Mission, World Hunger, Peace Not Walls, RMS Border Emergency Fund or Seeds of Hope (Companion Synod Fund for Madagascar)
  • Bulletin insert: Be sure to include a Global Church Sunday bulletin insert highlighting facts about our church's global engagement in your bulletin. You can download it for free at www.elca.org/resources/globalchurch. Find them on the Global Church Sunday Tab!
  • Global Church Placemats for Coffee Hour or used as coloring pages for children
  • Videos during offering or adult forum from an ELCA Missionary

 

Resources 

Global Mission Team 

  • Peter Kapenga
  • Rev. Paul Schick
  • Rev. Paula Stecker
  • Rev. Andrea Doeden
  • Stacie Daugherty
  • Teri Hermsmeyer
  • Keren Meister Emerich
  • Rev. Dana Peterson (Staff Liaison)

Global Mission Committee contact: Paula Stecker (paula.stecker@live.com)